Gian van Veen has made one thing very clear: he likes Luke Littler, he respects Luke Littler, but he has absolutely no interest in being measured against him.
The 22-year-old Dutch star, one of the most exciting talents on the PDC Tour, laughed off the constant comparisons to the teenage sensation, admitting that even thinking about matching Littler’s rise would be a mental disaster.
Van Veen’s candid confession came during a recent interview, where he was asked whether he paid attention to chatter about him and Littler being part of darts’ next big rivalry.
“If I start comparing myself to Luke? I’d be crying in bed all week!” he joked.
“What he’s doing is unreal. But I can’t put myself in that race. I’ve got my own path, my own timing, my own journey.”
It’s a refreshingly honest take from a player who, in any other era, might already be considered the sport’s brightest young headline. But with Littler shattering age records, winning major stages, and steamrolling his way into elite conversations, Van Veen knows better than to turn someone else’s timeline into his own burden.
Respect, not rivalry… at least not yet
Despite shutting down comparisons, Van Veen was full of admiration for the 18-year-old phenom.
“He deserves all the praise he gets. He plays with freedom and fearlessness. It’s great for darts.”
“But the truth is, if I worried about chasing him, I’d lose focus on becoming the best version of me. And that’s the only competition that matters.”
The message was clear: this isn’t jealousy, rivalry, or insecurity — it’s self-awareness.
Van Veen wants headlines for his own achievements, not as a benchmark against someone else’s meteoric rise.
Quiet progress, loud potential
While comparisons may be unfair, they’re not irrational. The Dutch thrower has been steadily building his reputation:
- A growing presence on the European Tour
- Regular deep runs against top 32 competition
- One of the cleanest, most effortless throws on the circuit
- A maturity in his game that suggests major success is coming
The difference? Littler’s rise came like a lightning strike.
Van Veen’s is more like a slow ignition, building heat instead of exploding instantly.
And he’s content with that.
“Not everyone has to arrive at 18 and change the sport overnight,” he said.
“Some of us take the scenic route. And I’m enjoying every bit of mine.”
The new wave, different currents
Darts is clearly entering a generational shift, with young players rewriting expectations and pushing standards higher by the month. Littler is the headline-grabber, the record-breaker, the viral sensation.
Van Veen, meanwhile, is quietly shaping a career that might not shock the world in one night — but could be the one that endures, evolves, and delivers in the long run.
As he summed it up perfectly:
“Let Luke be Luke. I’ll be Gian. And we’ll see where that takes us.”
For a sport suddenly obsessed with “who’s next,” Gian van Veen just delivered the most refreshing reminder of all — greatness doesn’t follow a template.
And neither does he.
