Newcastle Knights flyer Bradman Best reveals the origins of his unique name started over a haircut

Newcastle Knights teen flyer Bradman Best has undeniably the best name anywhere in rugby league – now and maybe ever. It’s a moniker he feels, after some initial hesitation, blessed to have.

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Bradman Best is hazy on the details, but knows enough to tell you his story begins inside a Manly barber shop.

Holding the clippers, his grandfather Pete.

While kicked back in the barber’s chair — patiently awaiting his ‘usual’— sits current Melbourne Storm football manager Frank Ponissi, who on this morning in 2000 was still employed by that great basket case known as the Northern Eagles.

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Bradman Best regales the tale of his unique name.

Anyway, after much talk about footy – as always happened when Ponissi dropped by – the conversation between these two great mates then turned to that set of impending births in each family.

“Or it was something like that,” Best explains.

“I’m not sure exactly how it happened but my pop, who still owns a barber shop today, was cutting Frank Ponissi’s hair when the conversation turned to how my parents were expecting -- and how they still hadn’t come up with a name.

“Apparently Frank’s partner, she was expecting too. And he told pop ‘if we have a boy, we’re going to name him Bradman’.

“Or maybe they’d already had a girl and couldn’t use it …”

Regardless, Pete the barber liked what he heard.

Bradman Best in his Umina Beach beach sprinting days.

“So pop got straight on the phone to mum,” Best laughs, “and said ‘I’ve got you your name’.”

Seated now on a long, concrete bench outside Knights HQ, 18-year-old Best is walking The Daily Telegraph through what is undeniably the best name anywhere in rugby league – now and maybe ever.

A moniker that outdoes even the likes of Steele Retchless, Ziggy Niszczot, Bronko Djura, Fonda Matassa, Tulsen Tollett, Royston Lightning, Sonny Bill Williams, even Fuifui Moimoi.

Sure, Ireland had Test backrower Wayne Kerr.

While Sam Moa, he played for Tonga.

At one point a few years back, the NRL even boasting both Eddie Murphy and Will Smith.

But none, as the saying goes, are better than Bradman.

Bradman Best played for NSW in the U12 touch football nationals.

Which suddenly has us wondering exactly what type of pressure comes with carrying not only Australia’s most recognised athlete – but also the surname ‘Best’.

“Actually, I did feel a fair bit of pressure for a while,” concedes the Woy Woy centre who, with three NRL appearances, is now looking to cement a starting spot for 2020.

“But in the last couple of years, I’ve really understood how significant it is. How lucky I am to carry the Bradman name.

“And while there’s been a little bit of hype up around it (since making his NRL debut) I’m not trying to think about any of that too much.

“I’m here at Newcastle to play football. I don’t need to get caught up in anything else.”

Still it’s some name, right?

Bradman Best has excelled at many different sports.

“Yeah,” the NRL rookie grins.

“And knowing I’ll never come across anyone with the same one, I think that’s pretty cool.

“Although the boys here, they enjoy taking the piss. They’ve even started calling me The Don.”

And as for how ‘The Don’ went as a junior cricketer?

“Yeah, I played a lot,” Bradman grins. “And all of it in the backyard”.