Darts star says ‘it’s not a personal vendetta against Luke Littler’ as he launches into epic three-minute rant
JAMES WADE believes that Luke Humphries is one of the top three World Champions ever.
The 11-time major winner followed Gary Anderson in claiming that ‘Cool Hand’ is overlooked by the media.
Both Wade and Anderson have alluded to Luke Littler grabbing more headlines than Humphries during an incredible year for both players.
Humphries has won five majors but Littler has taken nine title victories in his debut darts season at the age of 17.
Wade, 41, said: “Me and Gary Anderson don’t get on very well at times.
“But what I will say, you are all missing the biggest trick in the world.
“I would believe that Luke Humphries is probably the second or third best World Champion we’ve ever had.
“We’ve had World Champions, Gary is one of them, Adrian Lewis, we’ve had lots of them.
“Luke Humphries has won almost everything after the World Championship and before it.
“I believe that you are failing a little bit. We’ve never had a World Champion like it.
“The last World Champion we had as good as him, maybe Michael (Van Gerwen) but before that was Phil Taylor.
“I actually think he’s a better world champion than Michael. I think he’s probably doing better things than Michael, in a short space of time as well.
“Michael is different gravy, but what Luke’s doing at the moment is magical, and we are not grabbing it.
“I feel really sorry for Luke. I don’t need to do this. I could have finished the conversation 30 seconds ago and walked out the door.
“Luke Humphries is probably the second or third best World Champion we’ve ever had and you’re not embracing it.
“You’re not going to get someone who is as great as him for a long time.
“I think you need to grab hold of him and celebrate it. Things he’s doing are magnificent.
“I’m not going to rant on like Gary did, or not quite as much.
“But honestly I swear like the things he’s done and things he’s won, you tell me another World Champion who’s won as much as he has done afterwards? Tell me.
“You are not embracing it. And it’s quite sad for darts. If it was Olympian gold medalists, Luke has won more than any Olympian gold medalist in the last three or four years.
“And you’re still talking about, and it’s not a personal vendetta towards Littler, because he’s going to do his bloody own thing. If he wins everything 20 times, he’s going to do that.
“But you’ve got someone who is so special and winning so much and he’s so talented and it’s so sad that you’re not celebrating him.
“I don’t want to jump on the Gary Anderson moany thing. I think you should celebrate him a lot more.
“Not for him, not for the press but for darts. He is something special. Make sure you promote him.”
Taylor will always be the greatest
Wade also believes that no one will ever get near matching the feats of 16-times World Champ Taylor – but believes he can beat Humphries on his day.
He added: “I believe every time I play him I’m going to beat him. He hasn’t got the Phil Taylor effect. But he’s bloody special and he’s great at what he does.
“No one will ever be as dedicated and prominent as Phil was.
“Phil sacrificed everything and none of us are willing to do that. Phil will always be the greatest dart player that ever walked. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I don’t know.”
Inside Littler's massive rise
LUKE LITTLER has taken the darts world by storm since exploding onto the scene at the PDC World Championship at the beginning of the year.
The Nuke reached the final on his Ally Pally debut at just 16 years of age – smashing records along the way.
He has then gone on to win a host of PDC events and the Premier League title – which he claimed at the O2 Arena by beating world champion Luke Humphries in May.
He also finished his first season in the World Series as the No1 ranked player.
He has joined Jude Bellingham on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe list.
And the teenage titan even had to snub an invite from the WWE.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Littler is plotting to create a fitness empire.
He is also cashing in away from the Oche thanks to an Instagram side hustle.
And he’s even the face of a brand new cereal.
But he is newly single after splitting from girlfriend Eloise Milburn following a 10-month relationship.
Check out all of our latest Luke Littler stories.