Luke Littler may be the most exciting talent you've ever seen, but one of his rivals has revealed his surprise at his father's tough, loving approach when The Nuke was just 12 years old.
Littler has become arguably the most talented teenager to emerge on the English sporting scene since Wayne Rooney, and he cemented that with a majestic victory at the World Championships last week.
He defeated three-time champion Michael van Gerwen, considered by many to be the greatest player of his generation, 7-3 in a stunning display of skill, having reached his second consecutive final.
Littler has transformed the face of darts and breathed new life and attention into the sport, breaking records, dart boards and television viewing figures along the way, not least earning him the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award for 2024.
However, one of his rivals, Nathan Aspinall, who he beat en route to his triumph at Alexandra Palace last week, opened up about the first time he encountered The Nuke and how his father Anthony has shaped this prodigious talent.
“The first time I met Luke, I think it was in Chester at a tournament and I beat him 4-3,” The Asp said.
Nathan Aspinall has spoken about his first meeting with Luke Littler with the Nuke when he was just 12 years old
Littler's father, Anthony (right), helped shape the prodigious talent with tough love early in his career.
Aspinall was one of Littler's victims on his way to an impressive World Darts Championship crown.
'I think I was four! No, I was about 12 years old and wow, I thought, “Who is this kid?”
'I remember seeing his father with him and he criticized him a lot because he had lost.
“I was thinking, dude, he's 12 and I was top 16 in the world at the time. I said, 'Give him a break.'
'His dad said, “No, he needs to learn.”
“That tough talk over the years has probably produced one of the best players in our sport.
'It's amazing and what more can you say?'
Littler is now one of the most marketable figures in the sport in England after his meteoric rise to stardom following last year's World Darts Championship.
Given his age, there has been a lot of talk about Littler taking on Phil Taylor's legendary record of 16 World Championship wins, and Power offered the teenager some advice after his stunning victory.
Anthony has been by Littler's side throughout his career and was there to give his son some final words of encouragement before Friday's finale.
“If I could give you one piece of advice or advice to help you stay on top, it would have nothing to do with your darts or the way you navigate the board,” he told The Sun. .
'I would say shoes. If you're not standing comfortably in the oche, you're not going to hit the target the size of your pinky nail, so make sure your shoes fit perfectly and carry two or three pairs everywhere.
And sleep. Make sure you get enough rest.
'I still carry a mattress topper everywhere because some hotel beds are like sleeping in the middle of the road.
“Your darts won't go where you want them to land if you're bleary-eyed after a restless night.”
Taylor says the sky is the limit for Littler and that his success only depends on how much work he is willing to put in.
“It's totally up to Luke how long he plays, how dedicated he stays and how many titles he wins,” the 64-year-old added.
'For now, let the child play. He's world champion at 17, the youngest to do it by a mile, and he's just brilliant.
Darts legend Phil Taylor believes Luke Littler can beat his record of 16 world championships
“When people ask how many world titles he can win, don't forget that he has all the time in the world if he wants it.
'I was almost 30 when I won my first world championship, and Paul Lim earned more than twice as much as I did for throwing nine darts than for winning it all.
'Winning 16 of them in a 23-year period required a lot of work and a lot of sacrifices.
“Only Luke himself knows, deep down, if he's willing to put in the hours, and it's totally up to him whether he wins another one, five, or 15, 16, 17 and beats me.” But he's young enough to do it.