Luke Littler Rejects Phil Taylor Comparisons With Humble Admission About Darts’ Greatest Ever

Luke Littler has already achieved things that most professional darts players can only dream about, but there is one name he still refuses to put himself alongside: Phil Taylor.

At just 19, the Warrington sensation has become one of the biggest attractions in professional darts. He has conquered the biggest stages, collected major titles and established himself as a player capable of dominating the sport for years. Yet, when the conversation turned to whether he could become the next Taylor, Littler delivered a remarkably humble response.

“Probably not. Definitely not me.”

Those words might surprise people who have watched his extraordinary rise, but they also reveal something important about the teenager’s attitude towards the history of the game.

Rather than allowing his success to convince him that he is already approaching Taylor’s legendary status, Littler was quick to acknowledge just how special the former world champion remains.

And honestly, that is exactly the kind of respect the sport’s greatest legends deserve.

Luke Littler Has No Doubts About Phil Taylor’s Legacy

The comparisons between Littler and Taylor were always going to happen.

Whenever a young player arrives on the scene and starts collecting major trophies at an incredible rate, supporters naturally begin searching for historical comparisons. In Littler’s case, Taylor was always going to be the obvious benchmark.

Taylor, famously known as The Power, spent decades establishing himself as the most successful player professional darts has ever seen.

His trophy cabinet includes 16 World Championship titles and 16 World Matchplay victories. He also recorded 11 televised nine-dart finishes, another remarkable achievement that demonstrates the level of dominance he maintained throughout his career.

For Littler, those achievements are not just numbers.

Taylor was his first sporting hero, and the teenager grew up watching the Stoke-on-Trent legend dominate opponents on television.

During an interview with joe.ie, Littler was asked to stop the interviewer whenever a better darts player was mentioned.

The interviewer proceeded to name several established stars, including Peter Wright, James Wade, Rob Cross, Nathan Aspinall, Gary Anderson, Gerwyn Price, Michael van Gerwen, Luke Humphries and Raymond van Barneveld.

Littler remained silent throughout.

However, when Taylor’s name came up, the two-time world champion immediately acknowledged the difference.

“I’ll give Phil that one. Best ever.”

He continued by recognising the debate surrounding Taylor and Michael van Gerwen, before highlighting the incredible achievements that make Taylor such a difficult player to surpass.

“And people say Michael’s better, people say Phil’s better. What Phil done on TV, think he’s got a record of 11 televised nine-darters, 16 World Championships, 16 World Matchplays. Numerous World Cups. He’s won everything.”

It was a fascinating response from someone who is already building an extraordinary career of his own.

Why Comparing Littler With Taylor Is Both Fair and Unfair

There is no denying that Littler has the potential to become one of the greatest players in darts history.

His rise has been extraordinary, and winning major titles at such a young age puts him in a category very few players have ever reached.

However, comparing him with Taylor is a completely different challenge.

Taylor’s greatness was not built around one or two impressive seasons. It was established through years of consistency, countless tournament victories and an ability to remain at the top while different generations of opponents tried to knock him off his throne.

That is what makes his record so intimidating.

Littler might have the natural ability to compete with anybody, but matching Taylor’s achievements would require something more than exceptional talent.

It would require longevity, discipline and an almost unbelievable hunger to keep winning.

And that is where I think supporters need to be careful.

We should enjoy watching Littler develop without turning every tournament victory into another discussion about whether he can eventually become the next Phil Taylor.

He deserves to build his own legacy rather than constantly having somebody else’s placed on his shoulders.

Littler Is Already Building An Incredible Career

What makes this conversation particularly interesting is that Littler is not speaking from the position of an ordinary young player hoping to become successful.

He has already established himself among the elite.

The Warrington star has won the last two PDC World Championships and is preparing to defend his crown again when the next tournament begins on December 11.

That means he will have the opportunity to achieve a third consecutive world title, something that would further strengthen his growing reputation.

He also has another important challenge approaching.

Littler is preparing to defend his Grand Slam of Darts title in Wolverhampton, where he begins his campaign against Beau Greaves in Group A.

His previous triumph came against Luke Humphries, whom he defeated 16-11 in the final.

That victory also made Littler the youngest world number one in darts history.

These are not small achievements.

He has already demonstrated that he can handle the pressure of major finals and deliver when the expectations are enormous.

But the real test is whether he can maintain that level for another decade or even longer.

Taylor managed to do exactly that, and it is one of the biggest reasons his name continues to dominate conversations about darts greatness.

Michael van Gerwen Also Deserves A Place In The Debate

Interestingly, Littler did not completely dismiss the debate surrounding Taylor and Michael van Gerwen.

He acknowledged that people have different opinions about who deserves to be considered the greatest.

That is understandable.

Van Gerwen has enjoyed an extraordinary career of his own, becoming a dominant force in professional darts and winning multiple major championships.

His peak years demonstrated just how difficult it is to compete against somebody who combines exceptional scoring power with ruthless finishing.

For years, Taylor and van Gerwen represented different eras of dominance.

Now Littler is emerging as another superstar capable of defining an era.

The exciting possibility is that darts could be heading towards another period where several exceptional players are competing for the biggest honours.

Humphries, van Gerwen and the other established names will certainly have something to say about that.

Littler might be the headline attraction, but the sport is not going to hand him every trophy simply because of his reputation.

That competition is ultimately what makes his journey worth following.

The Pressure Of Chasing Phil Taylor’s Records

One thing I particularly like about Littler’s response is that he appears comfortable acknowledging what he has not achieved.

There is a huge difference between believing in your own ability and believing you have already reached the level of somebody who spent decades dominating a sport.

Littler has every reason to be confident, but he also understands that Taylor’s achievements are extraordinary.

The danger for any young sporting superstar is allowing expectations to become bigger than the actual competition.

If Littler wins another World Championship, people will immediately start discussing whether he can win a fourth.

If he collects another major trophy, the conversation will move towards how many more he can win.

Eventually, the focus can shift away from appreciating the performances themselves.

That would be a shame.

At 19, Littler still has plenty of time to develop his game, experience difficult periods and discover what it takes to remain successful when opponents become increasingly familiar with his style.

He does not need to answer every question about Taylor’s legacy right now.

The best response will always be what he produces on the oche.

Littler Has The Chance To Write His Own History

Ultimately, I think Littler’s comments should be appreciated rather than interpreted as a lack of ambition.

Calling Taylor the best ever does not mean he lacks confidence in his own ability.

It simply shows that he understands the scale of the achievement required to match somebody who won 16 world titles.

There is nothing wrong with aspiring to reach that level while accepting that it might never happen.

And perhaps that is the most interesting part of this entire discussion.

Littler has already achieved enough to make his name unforgettable in darts, yet he still has an opportunity to spend many more years adding to his legacy.

Whether he eventually challenges Taylor’s records remains to be seen.

For now, darts fans should enjoy watching one of the sport’s most exciting talents create his own history.

Do you think Luke Littler has what it takes to eventually surpass Phil Taylor, or will The Power always remain the greatest player darts has ever seen?