One of Japan's most renowned professional players, Koji "Laz" Ushida, might be ending his career in Valorant. Fans of the team have speculated this after the player updated his Twitter profile.
The Origin of the Rumors
Yesterday, a post appeared on the ValorantCompetitive subreddit, where the author pointed out Laz's Twitter account. It was noticed that the player had removed the "Professional Player" tag from his profile, leaving only a link to the ZETA DIVISION team.
Additionally, Laz himself posted a short message in Japanese yesterday. In it, he addressed his followers, stating, "Thank you for your work. It was a time that brought a lot of valuable experience." It is likely that the player was addressing his teammates, thanking them for the time spent together.
Laz's History
Koji "Laz" Ushida is a 28-year-old Japanese player who previously competed in the CSesports scene from 2015 to 2020. In mid-2020, Koji transitioned to Valorant, joining Absolute JUPITER, which was rebranded as ZETA DIVISION in 2021. Laz has been with the organization for four long years, and if the rumors prove true, he will be one of the few players who has never changed teams during his career. Some of his most significant achievements under the ZETA DIVISION banner include: 3rd place at VCT 2022: Stage 1 Masters - Reykjavík and 5th-6th place at VCT 2023: Pacific League. He also participated in two world championships, finishing 9th-12th at VALORANT Champions 2022 and 13th-16th at VALORANT Champions 2023. Throughout his career, Laz has earned approximately $70,000 and was ranked among the top 10 players in Asia in 2022, according to VALO2ASIA.
While it is still unclear whether the rumors about Laz will come true, fans speculate that he may not fully leave esports. Since he only removed the "Professional Player" tag and kept the team affiliation, it's possible that he might transition to a coaching or consulting role.
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