Former Unicorns of Love, Gambit Gaming, and Moscow Five jungler Danil "Diamondprox" Reshetnikov is currently negotiating a deal with Apex Gaming to compete on its new Challenger squad in North America this season, sources close to the player and organization tell ESPN.
The news comes just a week after Apex Gaming acquired the Team Dignitas Challenger Series spot and began reaching out to players to join its new team, including former NRG Esports support Kevin "KonKwon" Kwon. Additionally, Diamondprox's team Gambit Gaming-of which he was loaned to from Unicorns of Love-announced two days ago that the star has interest in moving to North America to compete.
This year, Diamondprox was found ineligible to compete in the European League Championship Series with the Unicorns of Love following Riot Games tightening up its investigation process on legal work visas for all LCS players. Due to Russia, Diamondprox's home country, being out of the Schengen Area, he was unable to legally obtain a work visa in Germany, the home country of the LCS. That made him return to compete with his former team Gambit Gaming in the Commonwealth of Independent States league.
However, in North America, Diamondprox will be able to obtain a P-1A Internationally Recognized Athlete visa, which would allow him to compete in the Challenger Series and the North American part of the LCS, presumably with Apex Gaming shall the deal go through.
Apex is the newest organization to the LCS, but its owners and managing members are not. At the top of the organization are father and son David and Michael Slan, both of which were co-owners and managers of Team Coast, one of League's eldest organizations before the two founded Apex. The team's head coach, former League pro player Brandon "SaintVicious" DiMarco, is also one of its managing members.
Since 2012, Diamondprox has been one of the most famous names in the League of Legends scene. He was a member of Moscow Five, the full Commonwealth of Independent States based team, which became one of the best in the world during that era. That team later became the original Gambit Gaming lineup.
During his short time with the Unicorns this year, Diamondprox looked as if he had returned to form to his golden days of the past. He led the Unicorns to win 75% of their games during his time with them before returning back to Russia. Additionally, he had a 100% first blood participation on his team, assisting his laners to get early kills.