Michael Smith may be the most naturally talented dart player in the PDC right now.
Bully Boy has a throw that flows beautifully, and when he’s in his rhythm, he hits 180s better than anyone else on tour.
However, Smith hasn’t quite been as successful as he perhaps should have been in the game so far. He’s only won two TV-ranking majors, which isn’t at all befitting of his talent.
Speaking to PDC Europe, Smith has been answering some hypothetical questions about his career and how things could’ve panned out differently if certain things changed.
Interestingly, Smith was asked what would’ve changed in his career if Phil Taylor had mentored him, but the World Cup winner batted away that question, claiming that he never would’ve let The Power be his mentor as he already had Adrian Lewis under his wing.
Michael Smith didn’t want to be a second-string protégé
Smith spoke about the idea of being mentored by Taylor.
“What would have changed if Phil Taylor had mentored you?” Smith was asked.
“Nothing because I wouldn’t have let him. He had Adrian Lewis and I like to do things by myself,” Smith said.
Michael Smith’s career will surpass Adrian Lewis’
Smith ultimately opted to be mentored by Gary Anderson, and while partnership has led Smith to becoming a world champion, and he’s not finished yet.
Smith is only 33 years old, and with so many years ahead of him, you wouldn’t back against Bully Boy winning more TV titles and even world championships in the future.
Meanwhile, Adrian Lewis’ days at the top of the game look to be over, and he’s unlikely to ever add to his haul of four TV-ranking majors.
Say what you will about Lewis’ game in recent years, but Jackpot did reach the pinnacle of darts, winning back-to-back world titles in the early 2010s alongside a UK Open and European Championship.
Both players were incredible natural talents who needed a bit of finetuning from a mentor such as Taylor or Anderson, but, in the end, they’ve both cemented themselves as legends of the game in their own way.