The 2021 Philadelphia Fusion season was the fourth season of the Philadelphia Fusion's existence in the Overwatch League and their first under head coach Kim "NineK" Bum-hoon.
Preceding offseason
Roster changes
Free agents
| Position |
Handle |
Name |
2021 team |
Date signed |
Notes |
| Support |
Boombox |
Isaac Charles |
Young and Beautiful (OWC) |
March 10[1] |
– |
| Damage |
Chipsa |
Philip Graham |
– |
– |
Option declined |
| Damage |
Eqo |
Josue Corona |
Philadelphia Fusion |
November 18[2] |
Option declined |
| Tank |
Fury |
Kim Jun-ho |
Washington Justice |
November 21[3] |
– |
| Damage |
Ivy |
Lee Seung-hyun |
New York Excelsior |
December 22[4] |
– |
| Tank |
Poko |
Gael Gouzerch |
Philadelphia Fusion |
November 17[2] |
Option declined |
| Tank |
Sado |
Kim Su-min |
Toronto Defiant |
November 21[5] |
Option declined |
- Legend
- Light green background indicates a player was re-signed by the Fusion.
- Light red background indicates a player departed from the Fusion.
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The Fusion entered free agency with seven free agents, four of which became free agents due to the team not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.[6]
Acquisitions
The Fusion's first offseason acquisition was Kim "Mano" Dong-gyu, a veteran tank player coming from the New York Excelsior who signed on November 2, 2020. The Fusion next signed Niclas "Shockwave" Jensen, a second-year damage playing who played for the Vancouver Titans in mid-2020, on November 23.[7] Philadelphia did not pick up another player until 2021; on March 15, they signed Kim "Rascal" Dong-jun, a veteran damage player coming off back-to-back Grand Finals championships with the San Francisco Shock.[8] The Fusion next signed Choi "Hotba" Hong-jun, a tank player from the Excelsior who was a part of the Fusion's 2018 Grand Finals team, on April 7.[9] One day later, they signed Yang "Tobi" Jin-mo, a veteran support player coming off a Grand Finals appearance with the Seoul Dynasty in 2020.[10]
Departures
Five of the Fusion's seven free agents did not return, four of which signed with other teams, beginning with tank players Kim "Fury" Jun-ho and Kim "Sado" Su-min, who signed with the Washington Justice and Toronto Defiant, respectively, on November 21, 2020.[3][5] The Fusion lost damage player Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun on December 22 after he signed with the New York Excelsior.[4] Support player Isaac "Boombox" Charles signed with Overwatch Contenders team Young and Beautiful on March 10, 2021.[1] The Fusion's final free agent, damage player Philip "Chipsa" Graham did not sign with a team in the offseason. Outside of free agency, the Fusion transferred damage player Jeong "Heesu" Hee-su to the Toronto Defiant on November 23, 2020.[11]
Final roster
| 2021 Philadelphia Fusion roster |
| Players | Coaches |
| Role |
No. |
Handle |
Name |
Nationality |
|---|
| Damage |
18 |
Carpe |
Lee Jae-hyeok |
South Korea |
| Damage |
24 |
sHockWave (2W) |
Jensen, Niclas |
Denmark |
| Damage |
15 |
EQO |
Corona, Josue |
Israel |
| Damage |
27 |
Rascal |
Kim Dong-jun |
South Korea |
| Tank |
7 |
Mano |
Kim Dong-gyu |
South Korea |
| Tank |
8 |
HOTBA |
Choi Hong-joon |
South Korea |
| Tank |
21 |
Poko (2W) |
Gouzerch, Gael |
France |
| Support |
4 |
tobi |
Yang Jin-mo |
South Korea |
| Support |
33 |
FunnyAstro (2W) |
Hathaway, Daniel |
United Kingdom |
| Support |
17 |
Alarm |
Kim Kyung-bo |
South Korea |
|
- Head coach
|
|
Legend:
- (I) Inactive
- (S) Suspended
- (2W) Two-way player
 Substitute Injury / Illness
|
Latest roster transaction: April 8, 2021. |
References
- 1 2 Young and Beautiful [@YaB_OW] (March 10, 2021). "Here are the players that will be representing Young and Beautiful in EU Contenders this 2021 season" (Tweet). Retrieved March 10, 2021 – via Twitter.
- 1 2 Searl, Nate (November 18, 2020). "Eqo and Poko rejoin the Philadelphia Fusion for the 2021 OWL Season". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- 1 2 Michael, Cale (November 21, 2020). "Washington Justice signs Fury". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- 1 2 Alford, Aaron (December 23, 2020). "NYXL Complete 2021 Lineup". Hotspawn. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- 1 2 Czar, Michael (November 21, 2020). "Sado signed by the Toronto Defiant". Daily Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ "2021 Player Contract Status". Overwatch League. October 21, 2020. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ↑ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Philadelphia Fusion signs DPS sHockWave". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ Richardson, Liz (March 15, 2021). "Rascal joins the Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ↑ Richardson, Liz (April 7, 2021). "HOTBA returns to Philadelphia Fusion". Dot Esports. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ↑ Field Level Media (April 8, 2021). "Fusion add tobi to Overwatch League roster". Reuters. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
- ↑ Richardson, Liz (November 23, 2020). "Toronto Defiant acquires former Fusion DPS Heesu". Dot Esports. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
- ↑ Field Level Media (April 17, 2021). "Philadelphia Fusion open strong in Week 1 of Overwatch League". Gwinnett Prep Sports. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ↑ O'Dwyer, Jack (April 19, 2021). "Overwatch League Week 1 Round-Up". MSN. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
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