Cloud9 appoints Inero as League of Legends Head Coach

North American esports organisation Cloud9 has appointed Nick ‘Inero‘ Smith because the Head Coach of its League of Legends roster.

The appointment follows the departure of Bok ‘Reapered‘ Han-gyu, who was the staff’s Head Coach since April 2024.

Inero first joined Cloud9 in November 2024 because the staff’s coach and is entering into his first Head Coach position since departing Immortals in September 2024.

Throughout his time previous to changing into the Head Coach, Inero helped Cloud9 document a top-four end on the LTA 2025 Cross-Convention match and second place at LTA North 2025 Split 2.

Regardless of starting the season as one in all LTA North’s prime groups, Cloud9 struggled within the second half of the season. Defeat to 100 Thieves in Break up 3 ended Cloud9’s possibilities of qualifying for the 2025 League of Legends World Championship, ending the Elimination section in fourth place.

After failing to qualify for Worlds, the 2025 League of Legends season is over for Cloud9. The low season acts as a possibility for Inero to implement new methods and to rebuild its roster earlier than the LCS returns in 2026.

Reapered’s departure from Cloud9 brings an finish to his second stint because the staff’s Head Coach. In April 2024, he returned to the organisation after teaching 100 Thieves and Sengoku Gaming between 2021 and 2023.

In 2014, Reapered retired as a participant, transitioning to a training position with EDward Gaming in 2015 earlier than becoming a member of Cloud9 for his first stint in 2016.

Between 2016 and 2020, Reapered steered the staff in direction of the highest of North American League of Legends esports. In 2018, Cloud9 scored a top-four finish at Worlds, changing into the highest-placing North American staff at League of Legends’ greatest match of the 12 months.

April 2020 noticed Cloud9 return to the highest of the LCS, successful the Spring Break up after sweeping apart FlyQuest within the Grand Ultimate. In the course of the Break up, the staff recorded a single loss, narrowly lacking out on a flawless Break up.