James Wade has given Luke Littler one of the biggest compliments available in darts, but his wider point should land just as loudly with the sport’s decision-makers.
Wade believes Littler has the talent to become the greatest player the game has ever seen. Yet the multiple major winner has also questioned whether the demands around the world champion, rather than the darts itself, could become the real test of his long-term hunger.
The comments, reported by DartsNews.de and attributed to Oche180, come after Littler’s own admission that the strain around his Premier League campaign had left him thinking seriously about whether he wanted to carry on. For a player still only at the beginning of what could be a historic career, that is a conversation darts cannot afford to shrug off.
Wade backs Littler for darts immortality
Wade was not being critical of Littler’s ability. Quite the opposite. He placed the reigning world champion in almost untouchable company, saying: “I would say that Luke at the moment is probably the second-best player who has ever walked this earth.”
That is not casual praise from a player who has seen every version of elite darts up close. Wade has shared stages with Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen, Gary Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld and the rest of the modern greats. When he says Littler is already operating at that level, it carries weight.
He went even further with the long-term projection. “If he carries on, he will be the best player of all time,” Wade said.
That “if” is the heart of the story. Littler’s scoring, finishing and stage temperament have already changed expectations around what a teenager can do in the PDC. But greatness in darts is not only about peak level. It is about wanting the grind year after year, through travel, scrutiny, hostile crowds and the kind of constant attention that follows very few players in the sport’s history.
The pressure around Littler is now part of the story
DartsNews.de reported that Littler had admitted during the Premier League period that he had seriously considered ending his career, with boos and whistles at nights including Rotterdam, Liverpool, Aberdeen and Leeds forming part of a bruising few months.
Wade’s view is that the problem is unlikely to be the act of throwing darts. Instead, he pointed to the life that now surrounds Littler: the media demands, the obligations and the feeling of being pulled in every direction.
“I was amazed when he said he didn’t want to do it anymore and was really tired of it,” Wade said. “I just don’t think it is the darts. It is more everything around it.”
That distinction matters. Littler has become one of Britain’s most recognisable young sports stars, and darts has benefited enormously from the attention he brings. Bigger viewing figures, busier arenas and wider mainstream interest are all part of the Littler effect. But the same spotlight that helps grow the sport also follows him everywhere.
Darts must protect its biggest young asset
The temptation with Littler is to treat everything as inevitable. He is so good, so early, that every title race quickly becomes a question of when rather than if. Wade’s comments are a useful reminder that talent does not remove pressure; sometimes it multiplies it.
There is no suggestion Wade is attacking Littler. His remarks read more like the concern of an experienced professional who understands what a long career demands. The message is simple enough: Littler can break the record books, but only if the environment around him allows him to keep wanting it.
For fans, that makes the coming months fascinating. Littler will continue to be judged on trophies, averages and big-stage wins. But the bigger question may be whether darts can give its brightest young star enough space to enjoy the job he is already redefining.
Internal link targets
- Luke Littler Premier League pressure and crowd reaction coverage
- Luke Littler and Luke Humphries World Cup of Darts build-up
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Source notes: This article is based on reporting by DartsNews.de, which attributed Wade’s comments to Oche180. No additional interview access is claimed.