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TSM announced on Monday that they had signed the carry players Matthew “Ari” Walker and Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon to their 2023 Dota 2 roster.
The North American team has been keen on setting up a powerhouse roster after a disappointing run at The International 2022. TSM came in 19th-20th place at TI11, having only just entered the Dota 2 pro scene early this year.
Whitemon started his Dota 2 career professionally in 2018 while representing the Asian team EVOS esports. The 22-year-old support player is also among the first two Indonesians to attend The International.
In 2021, Whitemon represented T1 in TI10, finishing in seventh-eighth place. At the 2021/2022 DPC SEA regional finals, he helped his team to second place, losing 1-3 to BOOM Esports in the decider.
On the other hand, Ari is quite new to the Dota pro scene, having only just started his career in May 2022. Within his short stint in the scene, the 19-year-old British player has represented two underdog teams — Chicken Fighters and Into The Breach.
This roster overhaul has got fans talking, as the team is replacing veterans with rookies. On November 2, TSM parted ways with South Korean support player Kim “DuBu” Doo-young, who has represented more than 10 teams during his 14-year career.
The TSM 2023 Dota 2 roster now consists of Ari, Whitemon, Peruvian carry player Enzo “Timado” Gianoli, Canadian mid laner Jonathan “Bryle” Guia, and 22-year-old offlaner Jonáš “SabeRLighT-” Volek, with David “MoonMeander” Tan recently named head coach.
