Justinas “jL” Lekavicius has officially stepped down from Na’Vi’s active Counter-Strike roster, the organization announced today on Twitter. In a personal video filmed during his honeymoon in Greece, the Lithuanian rifler explained his decision to take a break from competition, calling it a mutual decision with the team.
“2025 was not our best year in Na’Vi,” jL said. “I wasn’t happy playing anymore, purely because of how I felt about the game and myself.”
At 25, jL said he’s hit a point where professional CS no longer aligns with his personal goals. He recently got married and wants to focus on health, family, and exploring new passions. “I just want to be a good husband. Maybe a good father in the future.”
Focusing on Health and Passion Projects
He’s planning a three to six month break to improve his physical and mental well-being, dive into martial arts, and start creating content. He also bought a drift car and wants to learn about cars, mechanics, and filming his journey.
“You really have to sacrifice a lot to be a tier one competitor,” he said. “And I feel like I’ve missed a lot in life.”
He admitted to struggling with exhaustion and burnout. “I’m walking for 15 minutes and I’m tired. That’s what I mean about physical health.” Despite losing 18 kilograms in the last year, he said he still doesn’t feel truly well.
Not a Goodbye, Just a Pause
jL made it clear the break was not forced. “I could’ve stayed longer. I could’ve kept collecting the paycheck. But no, I want to enjoy my life a little bit.”
He plans to remain active in the community through content creation, FACEIT matches, and potentially co-streaming or appearing on analyst desks. “This is not the end. It’s just a little pause. I hope I come back stronger.”
You can see the video from jL here.
Enter Makazze: NAVI’s Newest Addition
Replacing jL on the active roster is 17-year-old Drin “makazze” Shaqiri, who joins from NAVI’s junior squad. A rising talent from Kosovo, Makazze has been widely regarded as one of the top prospects in the CIS and Balkan scenes.
This will be his debut on a tier-one stage. Known for his sharp aim and confidence, he now joins veterans like b1t, Aleksib, and iM as NAVI look to rebuild momentum in the upcoming season. The organization praised jL for his energy and authenticity, while welcoming Makazze as the team’s new fifth.
The full NAVI CS2 roster now consists of:
- Valerii “b1t” Vakhovskyi
- Aleksi “Aleksib” Virolainen
- Mihai “iM” Ivan
- Ihor “w0nderful” Zhdanov
- Drin “Makazze” Shaqiri
- Andrii “B1ad3” Horodenskyi (Coach)
