In a sport where egos fly faster than tungsten arrows, Gary Anderson has never been one to sugar-coat. The two-time world champion, still a feared name on the oche at 54, dropped a bombshell this week that rippled from Wigan to the world stage: **“The best player in the world? That’s easy – Luke Humphries.”** No caveats. No “for now.” Just a blunt, Scottish seal of approval on the man who dethroned him and now sits atop the PDC Order of Merit like a quiet emperor.
The declaration came in the aftermath of Players Championship 34, the same electric Thursday in Wigan where teenage phenom Luke Littler vented his fury over a two-minute registration lockout the day before. While Littler’s drama dominated headlines, Anderson – ever the straight-talker – used his post-match interview to shift the spotlight to the reigning world number one. Cool Hand Luke, as Humphries is affectionately known, had just cruised to the title with a performance of surgical dominance: an 8-4 final demolition of Ryan Searle, backed by a tournament average flirting with **104**. It was his **third ProTour win of the season**, a clinical reminder that beneath the calm exterior lies a predator with ice in his veins.
**“He’s consistent, he’s ruthless, and he doesn’t miss when it matters,”** Anderson continued, his gravelly Fife accent cutting through the hum of the Robin Park Tennis Centre. **“People talk about averages, but watch him in the big moments – doubles, pressure, TV lights – he’s a machine. I’ve been around long enough to know class when I see it. Luke’s the best right now. Simple.”**
For a player of Anderson’s pedigree – a man who won back-to-back World Championships in 2015 and 2016, who once averaged **134.83** in a single match (still a ProTour record), and who has battled through injury, burnout, and personal turmoil – this wasn’t faint praise. It was a coronation. And it carried weight precisely because Anderson has no skin in the popularity game. He doesn’t court cameras. He doesn’t chase viral moments. When the Flying Scotsman speaks, the darts world listens.
Humphries, 30, has been building this moment for years. From a breakout 2023 Grand Slam triumph to his maiden World Championship crown in January 2024 – where he ended Luke Littler’s fairy-tale run in a 7-4 final masterclass – he has evolved from nearly-man to monarch. His 2025 has been a study in sustained excellence: runner-up at the UK Open, semi-finals in the Premier League, and now a stranglehold on the Players Championship circuit. His scoring power is relentless – **180s flow like water** – but it’s his finishing that terrifies opponents. A **65% checkout rate in decisive legs** this season. Ice-cold.
Yet Anderson’s endorsement lands at a fascinating crossroads in darts history. The sport is in the midst of a generational tug-of-war. On one side: Littler, the 18-year-old firebrand who won the 2025 World Championship in January, stormed to world number two, and draws crowds like a rock star. On the other: Humphries, the steady hand guiding the ship through turbulent waters. And then there’s Michael van Gerwen, the fallen king plotting a comeback, and veterans like Anderson himself refusing to fade quietly.
**“Luke [Littler] is unbelievable – don’t get me wrong,”** Anderson clarified, nodding to the teenager’s explosive talent. **“He’ll win everything one day. But right now? Humphries is the complete player. You don’t stay number one for this long by luck.”**
Humphries, ever humble, responded with characteristic grace when informed of the praise. **“Coming from Gary, that means the world,”** he said, a shy smile breaking through. **“He’s a legend. I grew up watching him dominate. To hear that from him… yeah, I’ll take that one to the practice board.”** He then promptly fired a **170 checkout** in his next leg – as if to underline the point.
The numbers back Anderson’s claim. Humphries leads the PDC Order of Merit by over **£300,000**. His three-year rolling average sits at **99.8** – higher than any player in history over a comparable stretch. He’s reached **six major TV finals** since 2023, winning four. And unlike the flashier stylists, his game has no obvious weakness: heavy scoring, clutch doubles, and a mental fortress built from years of overcoming self-doubt and health struggles.
This isn’t to say the throne is unchallenged. Littler’s raw potential remains a live wire – his 8-2 thrashing of Dennie Olde Kalter earlier in the week was a reminder of the chaos he can unleash. Van Gerwen, meanwhile, lurks with renewed hunger after a semi-final run in the European Championship. But consistency is the ultimate currency in professional darts, and right now, Humphries holds the vault.
As the season barrels toward the Players Championship Finals in Minehead – where £120,000 and ranking supremacy await – Anderson’s words hang in the air like a perfectly flighted dart. The old guard has passed the torch, willingly and publicly. Whether Humphries can hold it through the winter storm of Grand Slams, Worlds, and Premier Leagues remains the great drama of 2025.
For now, though, one truth stands unchallenged: when Gary Anderson says you’re the best, the debate is over. Luke Humphries isn’t just number one. According to the Flying Scotsman, he’s **the standard**.
And in darts, that’s as good as it gets.
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