Nicolaj Jensen is a bit of a walking contradiction in the LCS world. He’s the guy who famously got "clapped" by Faker, yet he’s also the only North American mid laner to consistently make Deep runs at Worlds. Honestly, if you look at the history of Jensen League of Legends career, it’s basically a movie script. He went from being a permanently banned "incarnati0n" to becoming the cornerstone of Cloud9 and Team Liquid's most successful eras. Most people just remember the memes or the occasional misplay, but they totally miss the context of how he actually changed the way the mid lane is played in NA.
He stayed at the top for a decade. Ten years. In esports, that’s an eternity.
Most pros burn out after three or four seasons of the grind. Jensen just kept showing up, making finals, and somehow finding a way to get out of Groups at the World Championship when every other NA team was busy packing their bags. He’s not just a legacy player; he’s the benchmark.
The Ban that Almost Ended Everything
Before he was Jensen, he was Veigodx. Then he was Incarnati0n. If you weren't around in 2013, you might not realize that Jensen was actually "indefinitely" banned from League of Legends. Riot Games cited toxicity and DDOSing. It was a career-ender. Period. For two years, he was the ghost of the European solo queue ladder, coached players from the shadows, and waited for a second chance that nobody thought would come.
When Riot finally lifted the ban in 2015, the hype was unreal. Cloud9 took a massive gamble on him to replace Hai, who was the heart and soul of the team. It started rough. Really rough. Jensen looked like a deer in headlights during his first few weeks in the LCS. He was trying to transition from a solo queue "pubstomper" to a team player in a professional environment. But once he clicked? He became a monster.
He didn't just play the meta; he forced people to play his game. His LeBlanc was terrifying. His Orianna was a ticking time bomb. You couldn't just leave him on an island because he would eventually find a lead, 20 CS at a time, and then take over the map.
Why the Bjergsen vs. Jensen Debate is Finally Over
For years, the LCS was defined by one question: Bjergsen or Jensen? It was the Messi vs. Ronaldo of North American League of Legends. Bjergsen had the trophies and the MVP awards, but Jensen League of Legends fans always pointed to the international stage.
While TSM was struggling to make it out of the group stage at Worlds, Jensen was busy making Quarterfinals and even a Semifinal in 2018. That 2018 run with Cloud9 is still the high-water mark for the region. They swept Afreeca Freecs 3-0. A North American team swept a Korean team in a Best of 5. Jensen was a massive part of that, playing with a level of aggression that most NA mids were too scared to show against Eastern teams.
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The debate usually went like this: Bjergsen is the better "general" who controls his team, but Jensen is the better "assassin" who wins you the game through raw mechanics. Looking back now, Jensen’s longevity and his ability to win titles on two different "super-teams" (Cloud9 and Team Liquid) gives him the edge for many analysts. He won back-to-back titles with TL in 2019, including that insane MSI run where they beat the defending World Champions, Invictus Gaming.
The Team Liquid Era: From Rival to Savior
When Jensen left Cloud9 for Team Liquid, it felt like a betrayal to C9 fans. But it was a business move that paid off instantly. He joined a roster with Doublelift, Impact, CoreJJ, and Xmithie. This wasn't just a team; it was an Avengers-level threat.
- They won the 2019 Spring Split.
- They won the 2019 Summer Split.
- They made the MSI Finals.
It was during this time that Jensen proved he could play a supportive role. He wasn't just the carry anymore. He learned how to play for his side lanes, how to sacrifice his own lane priority for the greater good of the team. This flexibility is what separates the greats from the "one-trick" wonders who fall off the map when the meta shifts.
The Stats That Actually Matter
If you look at the raw numbers, Jensen is one of the few players in LCS history to cross the 1,000 kills mark. He’s consistently near the top of the "Damage Per Minute" (DPM) charts, even when his team is losing. He’s a high-resource player, sure, but he actually does something with the gold you give him.
He’s also incredibly hard to kill in lane. His positioning is almost mathematical. He knows exactly how far he can push without getting punished by the jungler. It’s a sixth sense developed over thousands of hours of high-level play. This is why teams kept hiring him even as he got older. You aren't just buying a mid laner; you're buying a guy who won't lose you the game in the first fifteen minutes.
The 2022 Redemption Arc
People love to talk about Jensen being "jobless" in early 2022. He was sidelined, sitting on the bench while Team Liquid tried out Bjergsen. It felt like the end. But then, Cloud9 called him back for the Summer Split.
He didn't have a lot of practice. He wasn't the "hot new thing" anymore.
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But he went out there and won the whole thing. He helped C9 secure another LCS trophy, proving that even a "washed" Jensen is better than 90% of the league. It was a massive "I told you so" moment. He showed that his game sense and veteran leadership were more valuable than the raw mechanics of younger players who choke under the pressure of a stadium crowd.
What Most People Get Wrong About His Playstyle
There’s this weird narrative that Jensen is "choke-prone" because of a few high-profile mistakes. The Ekko play against TSM in the 2017 finals is the one everyone brings up—where he died with both Flash and Zhonya’s up.
Yeah, it was a bad play. It cost them the trophy.
But focusing on that is like focusing on a single missed free throw in a career where the guy scored 30 points a night. Jensen’s "aggressive" mistakes happen because he’s actually trying to make a play. Most NA mid laners play so "safe" that they basically concede the game slowly. Jensen would rather go for the 40/60 play and try to win than sit back and watch his Nexus explode. That’s the mentality you need if you want to compete with teams from the LPL or LCK.
Understanding the Jensen "Pressure"
When you play against Jensen, you aren't just playing against a champion. You’re playing against a constant pressure on the map. He is notorious for his "tethering"—the ability to stay just at the edge of an opponent's range to bait out spells. It’s exhausting to play against. If you miss your skillshot, he’s going to punish you for it immediately.
- He tracks jungler timers better than almost anyone.
- He manipulates minion waves to force awkward recalls for his opponents.
- He uses his "F-keys" constantly to watch his teammates, looking for a roam opportunity.
This isn't flashy stuff that shows up in a TikTok highlight reel, but it’s why he wins games.
The Transition to the "Old Guard"
As we move further into the 2020s, the LCS has changed. The money isn't what it used to be, and teams are looking for cheaper, younger talent. Jensen has moved around, playing for Dignitas and FlyQuest, trying to recapture that magic. It’s harder now. The competition is younger, faster, and they’ve grown up watching his VODs.
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But even in a struggling team, you can see the flashes of brilliance. You’ll see a 4-man Azir ultimate or a perfectly timed LeBlanc flank that reminds you why he was the king of the rift for so long. He’s adapted to the "new" League, which is much more focused on objective brawls than isolated 1v1 outplays.
Actionable Insights for Aspiring Mid Laners
If you want to play like Jensen, you have to stop focusing on the "flashy" outplays and start focusing on the fundamentals. Jensen didn't become a pro because he could do a fancy Lee Sin kick (though he probably can). He became a pro because he mastered the boring stuff.
Focus on "The Gap"
Watch how Jensen tethers his opponents. In your own games, try to stay exactly one pixel outside of the enemy's threat range. If they move forward, you move back. If they turn around, you poke. This "dancing" is how you win lane without ever taking a risky all-in.
Expand Your Champion Pool
Jensen’s career lasted because he could play anything. Whether it’s a control mage like Viktor, a roamer like Taliyah, or a lane bully like Lucian, he put in the work to be competent on all of them. Don't be a one-trick pony. If your favorite champion gets nerfed, your career (or your climb) shouldn't end.
Review Your Deaths, Not Your Kills
The biggest difference between a Diamond mid laner and a pro like Jensen is what they do after a death. Jensen is known for being incredibly frustrated with his own mistakes. Don't look at your triple kill and feel good; look at why you died to that level 3 gank. Was the wave in a bad spot? Did you ignore a ward?
The Value of Experience
Don't tilt after a loss. Jensen lost some of the biggest games of his life in front of millions of people. He got back up, practiced the next day, and won the next split. Resilience is a mechanical skill in League of Legends.
Jensen’s legacy in the LCS is secure. Whether he retires tomorrow or plays for another five years, he’s the gold standard for what an import player should be. He didn't just come for a paycheck; he came to win, and he did it more often than almost anyone else in the history of the North American league. If you're looking to understand the pinnacle of Western mid lane play, you start with Jensen.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Knowledge:
Study the "CSD at 15" (Creep Score Differential) statistics for Jensen across his time on Cloud9 versus Team Liquid. Notice how his priority shifted from pure lane dominance to map-wide influence. You can find these detailed breakdowns on sites like Oracle’s Elixir, which provide the raw data behind his professional performance. Watching his 2018 Worlds VODs against Afreeca Freecs is also essential for any mid laner looking to understand how to punish international teams.