This story appears in ESPN The Magazines October 3 Cubs Issue. Subscribe today!IN 2011, A FEW hundred people at a Swedish computer festival saw the first League of Legends World Championship. Now its the event in esports, selling out Staples Center in 45 minutes. On Sept. 29, 16 teams from four continents begin a monthlong quest for the Summoners Cup. First step, the group stage: Four teams enter, two leave -- like the World Cup, but with fingers instead of feet. Heres what to expect.Group A This group contains the tournaments top-ranked team, the ROX Tigers. But some European upstarts, North American mainstays and unpredictable Russians look to make life difficult.ROX TIGERS?- SOUTH KOREA POWER RANKING:?1 Korean teams have won the past three worlds, and ROX is the favorite to be the fourth straight and shed its reputation as perpetual runner-up to compatriot SKT.G2 ESPORTS - EUROPE POWER RANKING: 6 This team dominated Europe in its first year in the top division, but inexperience might prove its undoing. Still, this is as favorable a draw as it could hope for.COUNTER LOGIC GAMING - NORTH AMERICA POWER RANKING: 12 CLG has been erratic all summer but has a history of pulling off dramatic upsets when expectations are low. ROX and G2 would be foolish to count this team out.ALBUS NOX LUNA - RUSSIA POWER RANKING: 16 This wild-card team likes to lure its opponents into a false sense of security before turning the tables with unconventional strategies. Doubtful it can surprise ROX, though.Group B Group B is in some ways the most intriguing. It features the defending world champions, the team that knows how to beat them and the team thats peaking at just the right time.SK TELECOM T1 - SOUTH KOREA POWER RANKING: 3 Reigning world champion SKT has had a poor season by its own lofty standards but should easily boss this group to make it to the quarterfinals.FLASH WOLVES?- TAIWAN? POWER RANKING: 7 This dark horse is the only team in the world that plays better against South Korean foes, having beaten SKT and ROX in the past year. Its key test: a surging Cloud9.CLOUD9?- NORTH AMERICA POWER RANKING: 9 Cloud9 might be a 3-seed, but it sure isnt playing like it. Led by Jeong Impact Eon-young, one of the fields most in-form players, its hot streak might get hotter.I MAY?- CHINA POWER RANKING: 11 I May wasnt supposed to be here. Five months ago, the team was in the amateur division. Now its at worlds. How far can this Cinderella go? Probably fourth.Group C EDward Gaming is a virtual lock to advance, but the second spot is up for grabs. The remaining three teams are equally matched -- consider this the Group of Life.EDWARD GAMING?- CHINA POWER RANKING: 2 The reigning Chinese champion went undefeated in the summer season and boasts three of the best individual players in the tournament. A top-four finish is in the cards.H2K GAMING?- EUROPE POWER RANKING: 10 H2K, a squad that loves nothing better than a good fight, could become the sensation of the tournament, provided it takes AHQ seriously in the group phase.AHQ E-SPORTS CLUB?- TAIWAN POWER RANKING: 14 Its three straight worlds for AHQ, another team that likes to charge into fights no matter the odds. Expect sparks to fly when it takes on H2K.INTZ E-SPORTS?- BRAZIL POWER RANKING: 15 INTZ was one of the best teams that never made it. Until now. Its strength lies in its unity: The players have been together a whopping two years, a lifetime in esports.Group D Welcome to the Group of Death. Team SoloMid, Samsung Galaxy and Royal Never Give Up all aspire to deep runs into the knockout stage, but at least one will see its dream get pentakilled.TEAM SOLOMID?- NORTH AMERICA POWER RANKING: 4 TSM is the best North American team ever to enter worlds; OK, so two players are Danish. Well take em! Anything less than a top-four finish would be a disappointment.SAMSUNG GALAXY?- SOUTH KOREA POWER RANKING: 5 After winning the 2014 title, Samsungs players left for the wealthier Chinese league. This rebuilt team lacks star power, but a run at the cup isnt out of the question.ROYAL NEVER GIVE UP?- CHINA POWER RANKING: 8 Royal Never Give Up, a finalist in 2013 and 2014, looks strong on paper, but its star-studded lineup has failed to jell in recent months.SPLYCE?- EUROPE POWER RANKING: 13 Splyce has gone from fighting for survival to worlds in just five months. The roster lacks experience, and this big stage is mostly an opportunity to learn for the future.ESPN reporters Adel Chouadria, Tyler Erzberger, Steven Nguyen and Xander Torres contributed to this story. The rankings are by ESPN. Cheap Air Jordan 6 Sale . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. Air Jordan 6 China . Fellow centre Pavel Datsyuk remains out because of a concussion. Zetterberg has 11 goals and 19 assists for a team-high 30 points, and Datsyuk has a team-high 12 goals and 11 assists. http://www.cheapairjordan6.us/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Best Cheap Air Jordan 6 . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. Cheap Air Jordan 6 Wholesale . A forerunning sled crashed into the worker Thursday at the Sanki Sliding Center. The unidentified worker broke both legs and was airlifted to a nearby hospital.TORONTO -- While most of his NBA draftmates were auditioning on courts around the league, Anthony Bennett was making the rounds of NBA offices. The Brampton, Ont., native is touted as a potential top-five pick in Thursdays nights NBA draft, but the UNLV swingman has been sidelined since having rotator cuff surgery in May. Bennett has to hope he impressed in his interviews, and his play in college this past season, but he said hes confident his injury wont dictate what NBA jersey hell be wearing next season. "There were a lot of questions about the surgery of course (in interviews)," Bennett said in a phone interview from New York. "But I feel like the surgery is not really a big issue, just because David Altchek (the New York Mets doctor and a medical consultant for the NBA) did it. Hes one of the top guys. So I feel like its going to be cool." Bennetts rehab will keep him out of action until training camp, meaning hell miss NBA summer league. Plus the six-foot-seven, 240-pound player already missed draft combine and individual workouts. He did travel to the drafts top five teams -- Cleveland, Orlando, Washington, Charlotte and Phoenix -- for interviews. Bennett had surgery a few weeks after the Runnin Rebels were upset in the second round of March Madness in a 64-61 loss to California. "At the end of my season, I felt like it was the best choice, best decision for me to go ahead and get surgery for my shoulder, instead of doing it after summer league," Bennett said. "I felt like it was the right decision because Im going to be back before training camp, even though Im going to miss out on summer league. But training camp, I feel like thats one I really cant miss." Bennett played this past season at UNLV, earning Mountain West freshman of the year honours. He led the team in scoring with 16.1 points a game. He also led the team, and was fifth in the conference, in rebounds averaging 8.1. Hes one of three Canadians who are NBA-bound. Gonzaga forward Kelly Olynyk is a projected lottery pick while University of Texas point guard Myck Kabongo is expected to go late in the second round. Tristan Thompson is the highest Canadian NBA draft pick, going fourth overall to Cleveland in 2011. The forward from Brampton, Ont., said Bennett shouldnt stress about where he lands in the draft -- the health of his shoulder is more important. "Because its a long season, 82 games plus training camp, it takes a toll on your body, so make sure you get your shoulder healthy first," Thompson said in a phone interview. "And then second, it doesnt matter what number you get picked, its about the best fit in the best situation for you. Look at Darko Milicic, he went No. 2 (in 2003) but hes not in the NBA right now. And youve got Dwyane Wade (No. 5 pick the same year) who has won NBA championships. "So its about the best fit. Its not about the pick, its about whats the best fit and hoow you can extend your career for as long as you can.dddddddddddd" Two other top-10 draft prospects for this year -- Nerlens Noel and Alex Len -- also had recent surgeries, Noel for a torn ACL and Len for an ankle injury. Bennett said hes just starting lifting weights again. "Not too heavy, but just a good amount to build back the strength. Ive been doing that, and some mobility work," he said. He was just wrapping up a whirlwind Wednesday in New York that he spent doing interviews and photo shoots. All the draft prospects also toured the 9/11 memorial. Bennett has two teams worth of family members with him in New York -- some 25-30 (he lost count) of uncles, aunts and cousins, and his mom and sister. Hes purchased his suit for his walk across the stage -- scarlet and grey, UNLVs colours. "Simple, but it really stands out too," he said of his fashion choice. These are heady days for Canadian basketball as Bennett, Olynyk and Kabongo are poised to join the eight Canadians already in the NBA, two of whom -- Miamis Joel Anthony and San Antonios Cory Joseph -- played in the NBA final. "Its a big time for those young guys, and its big for our country and its big for our national team, having three guys that are potential first-round picks, all Canadians," Thompson said. "I think its because were getting the opportunity and were getting the media attention and the exposure with these young kids coming up. And also these young kids are taking this game seriously and theyre seeing that if they work hard it is possible to become an NBA player and get drafted. Its kind of a seeing is believing type thing. With Steve Nash being the forefather of all this and me and Cory being the grandpas, its exciting," he added, laughing. Nash was the highest Canadian draft pick before Thompson, going 15th overall to Phoenix in 1996. Bennett spoke to Nash, whos also the general manager of Canadas mens team, a few months ago. "It was back when I didnt really know what I was doing, if I was going to stay in college or I was going to leave, but he just told me if I do leave, just work hard, because not every year is guaranteed for you," Bennett said. "That kind of stuck with me." While Bennett insisted hell be happy wherever he lands -- "top-10, or even if its 11 through 20" -- he did say he wouldnt mind topping Thompson in the draft pecking order. "Its history. Tristan, he went No. 4 a couple of years ago, so if I beat that, Ill be happy," Bennett said. "Its just a great era of Canadian basketball right now, because we have people in the NBA, we have people getting drafted this year, we have people in college, we have people still in high school who are dominating. Its just crazy throughout different levels." Andrew Wiggins, a budding superstar from Thornhill, Ont., is being projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. ' ' '