100 Thieves part ways with PapaSmithy as League of Legends team General Manager
Riot Games100 Thieves have announced that the organization is parting ways with its League of Legends General Manager Christopher “PapaSmithy” Smith on October 17.
The former League of Legends Champions Korea caster joined 100 Thieves in 2019 and helped the organization make two World Championship tournaments. PapaSmithy was 100 Thieves’ first General Manage since the team joined the LCS in 2018.
“Since 2019, PapaSmithy has proactively worked towards building the foundations of our League of Legends program as 100 Thieves’ first GM. In that time he led the LCS team to a Championship title and multiple Finals appearances while guiding the Academy team to multiple top-three appearances across several splits,” the organization said in a farewell statement.
PapaSmithy released a statement of his own after the announcement thanking the organization for the opportunity and sharing his thoughts on the three years he spent building the LCS, Academy and amateur teams.
“After multiple rounds of talks with management before Worlds, it was clear that the shared vision of the kind of League of Legends program we wanted to build together in 2019 no longer fit the goals and aspirations of 100T for 2023,” the former General Manager said on Twitter.
PapaSmithy will move on to another project within esports
The former commentator went on to say how proud he was of his time with 100 Thieves and pointed out his developmental record within North America.
In 2022, 100T were in the finals of LCS, LCS Academy and tournaments at the amateur level. Fifteen players that played on the organization’s amateur squad, 100 Thieves Next, made an Academy roster, and 14 players from their Academy team have made the main stage in the LCS under his tenure.
“I’m on the lookout for my next big project in esports – Just like the last two, I’ll put my head down, be humble, and work my way to the top or die trying,” PapaSmithy said.