What will you bring to the NBA? Prospects at the draft combine explain how their game could translate to the Sixers.

CHICAGO — Malaki Branham needed to pull out his cellphone.

The former Ohio State guard had just been asked which teams had interviewed him so far at the NBA draft combine, and instead of trying to recite the full list from memory, he referred to the schedule housed inside his phone. He then rapidly fired off 10 teams: the Denver Nuggets, Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, and 76ers.

Branham was not the only prospect at Wintrust Arena to lean on technology to jog their brain, a reminder of the steady stream of greetings, handshakes and conversations between teams and players that occurred last week in Chicago.

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A sampling of those players said they met with the Sixers, whose draft positioning is still to be determined. Their first-round pick, at 23rd overall, was part of the blockbuster deadline trade that brought James Harden to Philly and sent Ben Simmons to Brooklyn. But the Nets have the option to defer to 2023, in which case the Sixers would make that pick next month.

The Inquirer asked six prospects who said they met with the Sixers about that conversation, along with their most immediately translatable NBA skill, and what they have worked on during the predraft process.

Scouting report: The son of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s coach and a former top-10 recruit who has tantalizing physical traits but struggled with a foot injury and with his production in college.

Most translatable NBA skill: “I definitely think it’s shot-making. Being 6-10, any time you can see the rim, you feel like it’s going to go in, like you have a fighting chance to hit a shot. [I just had] maybe not the year I would have liked to [have] shooting the ball, but I still believe in my shot-making and I think that’s what I’m going to bring Day 1. … Even though you may look at the numbers and say I didn’t shoot the ball too well, at the end of the day, there were some shots that just didn’t go in. You can’t dread. You can’t turn your head down. You can’t look down at the ground and think the next shot is the end of the world. I’m still an elite shooter. I’m still a great shooter, and I’m going to continue to shoot those shots when they’re open. With that foot getting better, the shot’s been better.”

Predraft improvement: “The biggest priority is just shifting focus. Now, just putting that season behind me. Take what I can learn from it. Watching film, reviewing film, still trying to get better. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to move forward. You’ve got to figure out where you fit in the league, where you can stand out, where you impact winning. So that’s what I’m focused on this year. Things that I can definitely fix are definitely physicality. There were times where maybe I’ll miss a block out, maybe I miss a defensive rotation. So typically that’s something, as a coach’s son, you want to stick with. You want to know I’m here in this position. During this [assignment], I’m here. I’m up the line on this possession. So defensively, just staying locked in. And really, I think conditioning was a big part this year. So this summer, [I’m] just staying in great shape, in elite shape. Because with the injuries and COVID, it was difficult to maintain that. And again, that’s no excuse. Just got to keep pushing forward.”

His interview with the Sixers: “It was very straightforward, cut-and-dry. Just kind of just explaining what had gone on this year and explaining their development system and guys that have come in and really improved themselves over the past few years. They have a great development program, a great plan in place to go forward and be a contending team. So they talked about coming in right away and kind of finding where you fit in.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “I’m just trying to get across who I am as a person. Once you understand how I tick, how I work as a person, I think you can understand why I’m in this position. I’m a tireless worker. I take care of my body very well, even though, unfortunately, I’ve had this nagging injury for the past year-and-a-half. Them just understanding that I’m a pro’s pro.”

Scouting report: Versatile, aggressive player on both ends of the floor who went through a winding road to the NBA that included several high schools and a stint in junior college before joining the Ignite.

Most translatable NBA skills: “My [defensive] versatility is going to be a big part in the NBA. I feel like I can guard multiple positions and I feel like I’m a two-way player. I have the offense, where I can make a deflection and run down and get a dunk. I feel like I can bring that to an NBA team and I can bring that motor. I feel like I can bring just energy to any team.”

Predraft improvement: “The biggest improvements I’ve been going for is getting my three-ball consistent. I know I’m a good shooter. I know I didn’t have a good shooting percentage this year, but I’m confident in my shot and I’m working on that and being consistent and being able to knock down that corner shot. Because I feel like that corner shot can make you a lot of money in this league. I’ve been working on that and just making reads off pick-and-roll and start getting into that kind of flow and me being with the ball more.”

His interview with the Sixers: “It went very well. I watched Tyrese Maxey. He’s with Klutch and I’m with Klutch. I just loved how they said they developed him into how he is now. They said they could do the same with me. It was pretty cool.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “I was excited about these interviews, because there’s a lot of slander out there. I just want to give them the real, the real MarJon, you know? I’m just glad they got to get to know me, and I’m pretty sure they were pretty impressed [with] how I am, how mature I am. Because I’ve been through a lot to get here and it just made me the person who I am today. I went to several high schools. I feel like people thought I was going to be someone who’s going to go to a team and want to leave. No, it’s not like that. Going through that stuff, I feel like I can go into any team and fit.”

Scouting report: A skilled scorer with the ball in his hands who can get to the basket and to his spots for midrange jumpers.

Most translatable NBA skills: “My shot-making, my three-level scoring. Also, my facilitating as well.”

Predraft improvement: “My ballhandling. Also just playing defense at the highest level. You’re going to be playing against the best players in the world, so just doing that and making it hard on those guys. My trainer, he’s still got a little juice in him. I guard him a lot, and it definitely helps me.”

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His interview with the Sixers: “That was my last one. All these teams just want to get to know me and just see how hard of a worker I’m going to be.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “Just telling them I’m a hard worker. If adversity hits, I’m not going to stop right there. I’m going to get over that hump, get over that adversity. That’s what I’m trying to tell teams.”

Scouting report: A supreme athlete with defensive prowess but who needs to improve his shooting.

Most translatable NBA skill: “Definitely my athleticism with my defense. A lot of young players [who] start off, to get on the court, you’ve got to play defense. So me playing defense right away, I feel like that will help me make an impact.”

Predraft improvement: “Being a knock-down shooter. Working on my perimeter shot. It’s gotten a lot better since I was at Baylor. It was really just some mechanic stuff that I fixed. Over the past six weeks, I shot close to 30,000 threes. It’s a lot of work, but I feel a lot better about it.”

His interview with the Sixers: “It was just very engaging. You could see that they cared. It was a really good interview.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “Really just be myself. I’m not trying to be someone I’m not. We talk about where I came from, how I got here. When I go to workouts, just show them what I can do. If they don’t think I can do something, just go out there and prove that I can.”

Scouting report: Crafty volume scorer who is raw in other areas of his game.

Most translatable NBA skills: “My scoring ability. Being able to score at all three levels, and my knack for getting to the free-throw line.”

Predraft improvement: “Shooting the ball. This year, even though my scoring was high, I didn’t shoot a great percentage from the three-point line. So I’m really just locking in on the three-ball and tightening things up. A lot of reps.”

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His interview with the Sixers: “I felt the room. The room was great. Everyone was good people. The way they push their guys and how they compete, that stood out the most.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “Really just my upside. How much upside I have on the offensive and defensive end, and my ability to lead.”

Scouting report: A terrific athlete and off-the-dribble shooter who helped his stock with a big performance during scrimmage play at the combine.

Most translatable NBA skills: “Being myself. Keeping that high energy. Dogging people on the defensive end, changing their guard space. And just being able to shoot open catch-and-shoot shots. Because I feel like whoever I go to, they’re going to have vets who get me open. So just knocking down open shots, too.”

Predraft improvement: “Facilitating for others, showing that I can pass and be a lead guard. I feel like I did that. I made great passes and reads [during Thursday’s scrimmage]. I did it at a high level.”

His interview with the Sixers: “I just remember them basically getting to know me. Asking me who I model my game after, who I could see myself being, playing that role in the NBA. Right now, [of players that are] in the NBA, I would say Jordan Poole and Tyrese Maxey, just because they can use speed and they can shoot the ball well. That’s what I do, too.”

What he tried to convey during combine interviews: “Just being honest. Being yourself is the most important thing. Show your personality, first off. They ask you a lot of questions about yourself, so you can just be honest and straightforward with them.”