The professional Counter-Strike scene has seen many surprising transfers, but this news does stand out.
Justinas "jL" Lekavicius, the first MVP of a CS2 Major and one of last year’s breakout stars, has decided to bench himself from Natus Vincere. At the peak of his career and after one of the most successful seasons in his life, the Lithuanian steps away voluntarily – a move that many in the community deeply respect.
“Not Happy Playing Anymore”
NAVI officially announced that jL will be added to the team's inactive roster. His place will be taken by 17-year-old Drin "makazze" Shaqiri, who is being promoted from the NAVI Junior academy squad.
In a very honest video on his YouTube channel, jL explained the reasons behind his decision:
“I'm just not happy playing anymore. It’s purely about my own thoughts and how I feel about the game and about myself.”
He said he plans to take a break for around six months – maybe shorter, maybe longer – and wants to explore new things and rediscover enjoyment outside top-level competition.
Success Comes At A Price
jL joined NAVI in the summer of 2023, when the team switched to English communication. Together with Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen and Mihai “iM” Ivan, the new lineup quickly proved itself.
2024 turned out to be the best season of jL’s career:
- Won four trophies, including the prestigious PGL Copenhagen Major
- Earned the MVP medal at that Major
- Ranked 5th best player in the world for 2024
- Won the Closer of the Year award
But as jL himself put it, success at the very top level requires sacrifices:
“The sole reason for competing in tier one is being the best. And being the best requires a lot of sacrifice – and that’s what I cannot give anymore.”
A Brave Move During Tough Times
2025 has been much tougher for NAVI. Although the team still made playoffs consistently, the titles didn’t come: they only reached the semi-finals twice (BLAST Bounty and IEM Katowice). jL himself couldn’t quite replicate the stellar form of 2024, as his LAN rating dropped from 1.13 to 1.06.
Rather than keep playing just for the sake of it – or, as he put it, becoming a “paycheck-stealer” or "bad teammate" – jL took matters into his own hands and stepped aside. Many fans and analysts praised the decision as incredibly self-aware and respectable, especially from a player still in his prime.
navi now have 2 major mvps on the bench pic.twitter.com/4qIy4HrTyr
— NAVI jL (@jLcsgo_) July 8, 2025
Despite everything, jL looks back fondly on his time with NAVI:
“2024 was a great year. 2025 was a year of failures, but you learn from failures. And what I’ve learned is that maybe it’s time for me to hang up the mouse, at least for six months.”
He closed his statement by thanking teammates and staff:
“It’s been a blast. It’s been a pleasure. I hope to come back stronger – more ready and more capable of being a tier-one player.”
For NAVI, the loss of jL marks a big change: makazze, a young prospect, will now have the chance to prove himself on the main stage. Whether he can fill the gap left by jL remains to be seen.
One thing is already clear: jL’s decision is a reminder that behind the intense world of top-tier Counter-Strike are real people – and sometimes, real strength means knowing when to step back.