jL Comments on His Replacement in NAVI Roster: “It Was a Mutual Decision”

On July 8, 2025, Natus Vincere officially announced that 25-year-old Lithuanian rifler Justinas “jL” Lekavicius is stepping down from the main CS2 roster and taking a break from competitive play. His career pause is expected to last between three and six months.

According to NAVI, the decision was initiated by the player himself, who expressed a desire to focus on his personal life for a while. The organization praised jL’s contributions in its official statement:

“He is one of the most charismatic and dedicated players. We wish him to find inner balance and recharge.”

Replacing jL in the lineup is 18-year-old Drin “makazze” Shaqiri, promoted from NAVI Junior to the main roster. The remaining academy players are also parting ways with the organization.

jL’s Journey with NAVI

jL joined NAVI in the summer of 2023 and quickly became one of the team’s key players. His breakout moment came in 2024, when he was named MVP of the PGL CS2 Major Copenhagen, helped the team win ESL Pro League Season 20, and was recognized as one of the year’s top performers.

However, the 2025 season was less impressive. NAVI only reached a few semifinals, and jL’s individual rating dropped to around 1.06 — noticeably below his peak form the previous year.

Updated NAVI CS2 Lineup

• b1t
• Aleksib
• iM
• w0nderful
• makazze
• b1ad3 (coach)

The new roster will make its debut at IEM Cologne 2025, set to take place from July 23 to August 3. NAVI will begin their run in the group stage.

jL’s Personal Statement

In his personal message to fans, jL confirmed that the decision to leave the active lineup was mutual:

“2025 hasn’t been the best year for NAVI, and I knew changes were coming. I realized I no longer enjoyed playing, mostly due to my own thoughts and feelings toward the game and myself. So we agreed to promote makazze and move me to inactive status.”

He also noted that he plans to take a break for about six months, though an earlier return is possible:

“It could be six months, maybe less — three, four, or five. There are many things I want to do outside the game.”

While the exact timing of jL’s return remains unknown, his impact on NAVI’s success is already a part of the organization’s legacy.