Ricky Council thrived off the bench for Arkansas as a microwave scorer and player that can initiate the offense. He’s an electric athlete that commands attention in the half-court and open floor because he can rise up at any time. If he’s given even an inch of room he can charge up for a nasty poster dunk. He’s getting better at finding cuts to the basket and as he improves at finding open lanes his offensive productivity will increase. His finishing is insanely slick because he’s able to float in the air and shoot out past other players. His touch is advanced enough to be a very efficient at-rim finisher. His lateral shiftiness allows him to catch defenders off and turn the other team's coverage on a tilt. He draws fouls and is a physical player but I would like to see him utilize his driving to cultivate more attempts at the line. His defensive gravity is a big tool that’s still a little unexplored because he can occasionally miss the read to the open teammate but that’s something he’s slowly working on. He’s a willing passer but he can be sloppy and cause a turnover too easily to really warrant a ton of on-ball reps. There's definitely some natural vision to his playmaking and avenues for him to be a secondary ball handler that distributes but it’s not there quite yet. His shooting splits from mid-range and the free throw line indicate that he has potential as a three-point shooter. He shot fairly poorly this past season and in decent sample size but his touch from everywhere else on the floor points to some untapped upside in his shot. He looks very comfortable when he is closer to the basket but a little more robotic once he steps out, he also has some trouble with getting far back and has shot most of his threes from right behind the line. Shooting coaches will have to step into the gym with him and just lock him in there for a few days because honestly it just seems like it’s something he hasn’t practiced. I think that gaining experience and becoming less nervous about his perimeter skills can go a long way when it comes to how efficient he will end up being in the league. He has confidence in his free throws and has had games where he hits multiple of them down the stretch. I believe in the shooting progression which right now seems to be his big swing skill. Defensively he can be a real threat when he focuses on a play that seems to help him elevate his game during big moments. He struggles occasionally with effort, especially off the ball but he displayed the ability and has the physical tools to be effective defensively. At the NBA draft combine he made his mark on defense because he was having problems breaking out offensively due to a lack of on-ball reps so I believe there's a pathway to him making an impact in games when he isn’t given the freedom to score when he wants. He’s viewed as a guy that will need the ball to be productive but I believe that he can do things like move around the floor, space for others, play great on-ball defense, and make simple reads. Ricky is a more intelligent player than he’s gotten credit for and has shown improvement every year while succeeding at every level of play. He's developed every area of his game slowly while having the baseline athletic and driving ability that allows him to put up numbers without requiring a ton of ball-handling responsibilities.
Ricky Council IV
Arkansas
| HT/WT/WS | 6' 6", 205lbs |
| Age | 21 |
PTS
16.1
AST
2.3
REB
3.6
FG%
43.3
Big Board Rankings
Scouting Sources
Jonathan Givony
Community Scouting Reports (22)
MARTIGNONI MATTEO
u/martignonimatte
#37
RANK
OFFENSE HE IS 6.6. Arkansas' leading scorer is becoming a more believable prospect by the week, as he's up to 19.8 points per game on 60.2 percent shooting inside the arc. His creation flashes, explosive drives, secondary playmaking and tough shotmaking continue to pop, and despite unconvincing three-point numbers (33.3 percent, 3.8 attempts per game), he's shot better off the catch than he did at Wichita State. He's had more success attacking the basket than settling from outside
DEFENSE
Ben Mackoff
u/benmackoff2
#51
RANK
Rickey council IV- Arkansas (SG/SF) Age: 21.9yrs 6’6 208 (Naji Marshall)
Council is an extremely explosive wing who loves to show off with some highlight dunks. If he sees daylight to the rim he is going to want to take it and has a good first step to do so.He has a solid handle but can get out of control and put himself in some pretty difficult positions and have to force up shots. He has never been a good three point shooter in college but has been a good free throw shooter the past two years.
(36gs 34.1mpg)(16.1ppg, 3.6rb, 2.3ast, 43.3fg% 27.0 3pt% 3.5 3pa)
SimplyCJ18
u/SimplyCJ18
#42
RANK
A mix of KCP and Troy Brown Junior. Athletic guard who is a fantastic finisher at the rim. Acrobatic player who often finishes around rim protectors or above the rim. Decent handle allows him to get to his spots for mid range pullups. Good three point shooter when left space, though can be streaky. Moves his feet well on defense. Sometimes gets lost, but the effort and tools are there.
Ian Monje
u/iblakem10
#52
RANK
STRENGTHS: "Explosive athlete who commonly rocks the rim with electrifying dunks in the open floor … High-flying wing with elite bounce and power, particularly effective in transition … A good scorer who utilizes both exceptional speed and body control to attack the basket and finishes at all three levels … Is more than just a powerful finisher with impressive ball-handling ability, showing acrobatic body control and a layup package that allows him to score over taller and stronger defenders … Projects as a high ceiling prospect that should translate well with the shift to a more physical game in the NBA … A 37-inch max vertical at the NBA Combine supports the levitating act that jumps off the screen on his film, and in fact, it seems like he may have left a few inches on the table … Possesses a decently filled out NBA frame at 6-5 barefoot with a 6-9 wingspan … Comfortable in isolations or as a secondary ball-handler on the wing … Confident attacking the basket and finishing in the paint with either hand … Reads drop coverage effectively with a sound mid-range jumper and decent vision as the PnR ball-handler … His incredible production alongside two lottery prospects in Anthony Black and Nick Smith says everything about how talented he is offensively … Lengthy defender who plays with a relentless motor on and off the ball … Can elevate well above the rim to block shots as a help side defender … Switchable, active defender on the perimeter … Unsurprisingly, gets to the line at will with his speed and strength on the drive … Solid when he gets to the line at 81% over the last two seasons, showing intriguing upside as a shooter if he can effectively rework his form"
WEAKNESSES: "Inefficient 3-point shooter (27% as a junior) with a shooting motion that needs some fine-tuning. .. Shot selection must improve … Settling for poor shots is what doomed Arkansas for much of the season and that was apparent with Council. He is a tremendous tough-shot maker, but the lack of separation he creates and the questionable shots he hoists up are concerning … An awkward hitch at the top of his release can be an eye-sore, but a decent FT% and efficient mid-range jumper suggest that with the right tweaks, he can be a reliable outside shooter in the near future … Would like to see more production from a rebounding and blocked shots standpoint for a player of his size with his kind of leaping ability (just 3.6 REB and 0.3 BLK with Arkansas) … Inconsistency could plague him … Learning to contribute when his shots aren’t falling will make him a more effective contributor … Will turn 22 in August so he’s slightly older than your average junior"
OUTLOOK: Ricky Council IV is very strong and very athletic, and those tools are mainly used as a finisher. He really pops when he elevates and finishes at the rim, whether it is in a fast break setting or in a half court set. His shooting has regressed, even though it was not good to begin his college career, but his free-throw shooting numbers and form can be an indication that he can work on it in the offseason. His defense was fine in every aspect, but did not stand out in one particular area. His physical tools, competitive edge and athleticism will keep him in the league for a while, and could be in the league even longer if he could nail his jump shot.
Player Comparison: Shades of Troy Brown Jr and Hamidou Diallo
Projected Draft Position: Picks 50-58/Undrafted
Best Fits: Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Sacramento Kings
lockdown scout
u/lockdown_scout
#57
RANK
Role: Athletic Bench Guard
crazy athletic
can get downhill to the rim
not a good shooter. wonky form
pretty good defender
Player Comparison: (Shades of) Hamidou Diallo
Aleix Villar Pardo
u/JAZZNATION
#24
RANK
Projected draft range:
Projected NBA rookie role:
Strengths:
Weakness:
Shades of/comp:
Best outcome:
mid outcome:
worst outcome:
Alex Erickson
u/alexrerickson
#53
RANK
Bulldog, fights when trying to score Electric boost off the bench potential Super Athletic Capable to finish anything Reliable, strong driver Sixth sense for finding dunk and shot lanes Perfect bulldog, feisty scoring body, has muscles and hops Like Whitmore, he’s a truck with the speed of a formula one car and vertical of a bunny One of the best scorers in the SEC, just difficult to guard with body and talent mix Excellent in the mid-range, needs polishing as a deep-range shooter Willing to take late-clock, contested shots Just an okay defender, nothing extraordinary Advanced, crafty handler Not resistant to be the main scorer for his team (won’t be a reality in the NBA, can produce some points off the bench) Moves down the court so gracefully, so easily Undisturbed by contact Came up in big situations Had some intriguing defensive possessions at the combine Lob threat, gets up and rises so easily Can be a bit too poky as an off-ball defender, reach-in machine
Kuuzory
u/kuuzory
#47
RANK
Tier 5: Rotation piece (5th, 6th, 7th men of a middle team or end of the bench of a contender)
Explosiveness, burst at the rim, all around shooting threat if his jump shot improves. He has to be more consistent to become a good rotational piece in the long term.
Best fit team :
Best Rank : 31. Lowest Rank : 47. Final Rank : 47.
Rank in the 2023 official NBA draft : Undrafted (two-way with 76ers).