Gian van Veen: The prediction that looks almost genius
If there is one player Littler deserves enormous credit for identifying, it is Gian van Veen.
The Dutchman has arguably become the most successful name on the list, and his development has been frighteningly impressive.
When Littler mentioned him in 2024, Van Veen had already shown considerable promise on the Development Tour. However, few could have confidently predicted just how quickly he would establish himself among the elite.
He won the World Youth Championship in 2024 and 2025, claimed his first senior ranking title in 2025 and then defeated Luke Humphries to win the European Championship.
His biggest statement came at the 2026 World Championship, where he reached the final before losing 7-1 to Littler.
He is now ranked world number two.
That is some development.
There is also an interesting question here: could Van Veen eventually become the player who genuinely challenges Littler for control of the sport?
He has the ability, temperament and experience to make that conversation worthwhile.
However, reaching a World Championship final and actually winning one are two very different things. Littler has already demonstrated that he knows how to deliver on the biggest stage.
Van Veen still has something to prove, but the signs are encouraging.
Wessel Nijman: A remarkable comeback after controversy
Nijman’s story is arguably the most complicated of the four.
Before becoming one of the promising names in professional darts, the Dutchman had to deal with a major setback after receiving a suspension for match-fixing.
He returned in February 2023 and immediately demonstrated why people had previously considered him a special talent.
Littler noticed that comeback, explaining that Nijman had returned after spending time away and secured a Tour Card almost immediately.
That assessment has aged extremely well.
Nijman won his first Players Championship title in October 2024, but his 2026 campaign has taken things to another level.
He has reportedly collected eight ranking titles during the campaign, including six Players Championship victories and two European Tour events.
Yet there is still a question hanging over his career.
Can Nijman translate his incredible floor-tournament performances into success at the biggest televised majors?
Winning ranking events is impressive, but the sport ultimately remembers players who deliver when the pressure is highest.
At 26, he has time to answer that question.
However, it would be a mistake to start calling him the finished article simply because he has collected multiple titles.
Nathan Rafferty: The prediction that has not worked out
This is where Littler’s impressive scouting record becomes a little less convincing.
Nathan Rafferty was another player he identified as someone worth watching.
Rafferty was certainly not an unknown quantity when Littler mentioned him.
He had already beaten Peter Wright at the 2018 UK Open and enjoyed considerable success on the Development Tour, winning 10 titles.
His talent was never really in doubt.
Unfortunately, establishing yourself on the senior circuit is an entirely different challenge.
Despite adding two more Development Tour titles in 2024, Rafferty struggled to produce the consistency required at the highest level.
He lost his PDC Tour Card after the 2025 season and subsequently failed to regain it at the 2026 Q School.
That is a disappointing development for someone who once appeared to have a promising future.
But it also highlights something people often forget when discussing young darts players.
Potential does not guarantee success.
There are countless talented players who dominate youth competitions and development events but struggle when they face experienced professionals week after week.
Rafferty still has an opportunity to rebuild his career, but he needs to turn his ability into consistent results.
At this stage, Littler’s prediction has not aged particularly well.
Sebastian Bialecki: Poland’s rising star
Bialecki might be the most interesting name on this list because his progress has been relatively easy to overlook.
When Littler mentioned the Polish player in 2024, he specifically pointed towards his performances in the MODUS Super Series.
He believed Bialecki could eventually earn a Tour Card, and that prediction proved accurate.
Bialecki secured his place on the professional circuit through the 2024 Development Tour rankings before making his senior tour debut in 2025.
He then produced a major breakthrough by winning Players Championship 22 in July 2025.
Remarkably, he added another senior ranking title at Players Championship 26 in July 2026.
At just 22, he has already demonstrated that he can compete with established names.
However, there is still a considerable gap between winning Players Championship events and becoming a genuine major contender.
Bialecki needs to prove that he can maintain his development and regularly challenge the world’s best.
Nevertheless, Littler deserves credit for recognising his potential before those senior titles arrived.
Littler’s predictions deserve more attention
Looking at all four players, it is difficult to argue that Littler made poor selections.
Van Veen has become a world-class contender, Nijman has developed into a prolific title winner, Bialecki has collected senior ranking titles and Rafferty remains the one prediction that has failed to materialise so far.
There is an important lesson here.
Darts is not simply about who throws the highest average in a particular tournament. Mental strength, consistency, experience and the ability to handle pressure ultimately separate the good players from the great ones.
Littler understands that environment better than most, despite being so young himself.
Of course, identifying future stars is easier when you are competing against them and seeing their abilities up close.
But getting three of these four predictions to develop into successful professionals is still impressive.
Perhaps the biggest irony is that Littler was being asked to identify the next generation while he was still establishing himself as the sport’s biggest attraction.
Now, he is the benchmark everyone else is chasing.
And if Van Veen, Nijman and Bialecki continue developing at their current pace, Littler might eventually have to deal with the consequences of his own excellent scouting.