Kha Y Tran Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) entered the second half of the 2026 season as one of the favorites to win every major title. The team lifted the MSI 2026 trophy and looked stronger than ever. However, things have changed quickly.
HLE have now lost three straight series. They fell to Dplus KIA, KT Rolster, and most recently T1 at KeSPA Cup 2026. Those defeats have raised many questions. While player form has been inconsistent, the team’s drafting has become an even bigger concern.
One issue stands out above everything else. HLE continue to leave Yunara available in key games. So far, every top team has taken full advantage of that decision.
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Three series, one repeated mistake
Losing a close match is normal in professional League of Legends. However, repeating the same mistake three times is much harder to ignore.
Against DK, KT Rolster, and T1, HLE all reached a deciding game. Yet the drafting pattern barely changed. In every Game 3, Yunara remained open for the opposing side.
That decision immediately caught the attention of fans and analysts. Instead of banning one of the strongest late-game ADCs, HLE focused on other champions. As a result, every opponent happily locked in Yunara.
The outcome was almost the same every time.
Why Yunara has become so dangerous
Yunara is not an unbeatable champion. Even so, she is one of the strongest scaling ADCs in the current meta. She becomes much stronger after completing her core items. In addition, she deals huge damage during long team fights. If her teammates protect her well, she can carry almost any late-game battle.
That is exactly what happened against HLE. The orange side often built an early lead. They won skirmishes, secured objectives, and controlled parts of the map. However, they failed to end the game before Yunara reached full power.
Once that happened, everything changed. Yunara became the main source of damage. HLE could no longer reach her during team fights. Meanwhile, DK, KT Rolster, and T1 slowly turned the game around before closing out the series.
HLE’s draft is creating bigger problems
Leaving Yunara open is only part of the problem. The bigger issue is that HLE’s team compositions do not deal with her very well.
When teams decide not to ban a strong champion, they usually prepare a clear answer. They may draft heavy early-game pressure. They may also pick champions that can dive the backline quickly. HLE have not done either consistently.
Instead, their drafts often lack reliable engage or strong backline access. Because of that, Yunara has plenty of room to attack during late-game fights. Even when HLE start fights first, they struggle to eliminate the enemy carry.
That makes every late-game battle much harder to win.
Top teams have already found HLE’s weakness
Another worrying sign is how quickly other teams have adapted. DK used Yunara to punish HLE. KT Rolster followed the same plan. Then T1 repeated it again in the KeSPA Cup. Three different teams reached the same conclusion. That is probably not a coincidence.
Instead, it suggests that HLE’s drafting habits have become predictable. Once opponents know what HLE are willing to leave open, they can prepare much more easily. That gives HLE another problem before the playoffs even begin.
Are HLE testing new strategies?
There is another possible explanation. HLE may not be trying to win every regular-season match at all costs. The team is still in a strong position to qualify for Worlds 2026. Because of that, the coaching staff may be testing different draft ideas before the most important tournaments.
Many top teams do this during the regular season. They sometimes leave powerful champions open on purpose. Then they collect information about possible counter strategies.
If that is HLE’s plan, these losses may help them in the long run. Still, there is a clear downside.
Losing several important matches can hurt confidence. It also gives future opponents more footage to study.
HLE must find answers quickly
The good news is that HLE still have time. The roster remains one of the strongest in professional League of Legends. The players have already proven they can beat any team in the world.
However, they need to adjust before the playoffs. The coaching staff must first decide whether Yunara is simply too strong to leave open. If the answer is yes, banning the champion could become the safest choice.
If HLE continue to allow Yunara through draft, they need a much better plan. That means drafting stronger early-game champions. It also means choosing more reliable engage tools and better backline threats.
Most importantly, HLE must finish games faster when they gain an advantage.
The next few weeks will define HLE’s season
Three straight losses are not a disaster. Even great teams go through difficult periods. However, repeating the same drafting mistake is a different story.
HLE have now lost three deciding games while allowing Yunara to become the enemy’s main carry. That pattern is too obvious to ignore.
The next few weeks will show whether the coaching staff can solve the problem. If HLE improve their drafts, they will remain one of the favorites to win both the LCK and Worlds 2026. If not, opponents will continue targeting the same weakness.
And another championship opportunity could slip away.
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