Ricky Council IV reflects on 'wild' rookie season with 76ers

04/05/2024 21:02

CAMDEN, N.J. — Not many undrafted players have been able to do what Ricky Council IV did with the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2023-24 season. On a team with championship ambitions, the undrafted rookie proved he’s worth keeping around for the future.

Council’s rookie season, he said, was "wild." He started it as a regular with the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ minor-league affiliate, before injuries kept him up with Philly and then thrust him into a rotation spot. With the chances he got at playing real minutes, he established himself as "a dog" and earned a multi-year standard contract.

"And at the end of the day, I don’t know where I’d be without the G League," he said. "Ithelped me a lot. A lotofreps,alotofworkdownthere.Ithelpedbuildmyconfidenceevery time. It helpedbuild my confidenceto go up here andit was alsovice versa. Everytime I wasup here for a while and wentback down there,itmade things easier. So it was just full circle."

Council played just 32 games for the 76ers in the 2023-24 season but made a major impact when he got real minutes. He posted a double-double against the Washington Wizards (19 points on 7-13 FG shooting, 10 rebounds) to help secure a win. He played the entire fourth quarter and both overtime periods in a win over the San Antonio Spurs (11 points on 4-5 shooting, four steals, three assists). Throughout the season, he put constant pressure on the rim and defended a variety of opponents.

Despite being used in a variety of contexts throughout the season, the 22-year-old wing stayed ready and played hard each and every time.

Ricky Council IV impressed 76ers in rookie season

Council pointed to Tobias Harris as a veteran who "was real big for me" and provided advice that steered him in the right direction. Most vets, Council noted, just buy their rookies things. Harris wasn't that type of leader, though he did buy Council a Goyard travel bag recently.

"Hegetsa lot ofhateand I don’t know where it comes from," Council said about Harris. "He’s a really goodperson."

Tyrese Maxey also received praise from Council for his work ethic. It’s something that Council has always prided himself on but now can see in his teammates for more motivation. Jeff Dowtin Jr. said Council’s work ethic was "very noticeable" amongst the team and that he "just wants to be great."

Honing in on an area of the game and seeing it pay off on the court only fuels an already nonstop motor. Council is a firm believer that persistent practice shows itself eventually. "Theworkworks,forsure," he said.

Early on in his 76ers tenure, Council’s athletic juice was apparent. But his shooting was a massive work in progress. He remembers how hesitant he was to shoot in the Summer League and now boasts that he’s comfortable letting shots fly with one eye closed.

"It really comesfromconfidence," he said. "Atthispoint,I’m shooting theballamazing — surprisingmyselfattimestojustthinkaboutthegrowth."

Ricky Council IV credits his work with player development associate coach Toure' Murry for the improvements in his jumper.

He recalled how poorly he shot in Summer League and how teammates would have to ask him to shoot. Said he's more confident now pic.twitter.com/korJcxIC7N

— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) May 3, 2024

Player development associate coach Toure’ Murry has spent a lot of time this season working with Council, fellow undrafted rookie Terquavion Smith and Dowtin, who was also signed to a standard contract after a stint on a two-way deal. After watching the 76ers lose to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs, Council said he and Murry  — who sees more as a big brother than a coach — plan to implement aspects of that hard-fought series into Council’s game.

"Beingon the bench isnotallbad,especiallyas a rookie," Council said. "Youget to learnandwatcha lot a lot of things that work, a lot of things thatdon’twork. I sawthatthisseries. Me and T-Murry are gonnaget to work on those things we saw. So I’m excited for that."

One skill Council noted was Jalen Brunson’s foul-drawing ability. Council already showed an impressive ability to get to the foul line in his rookie year, posting a .634 free-throw rate. That comes in 10 points higher than teammate Joel Embiid, whose propensity for getting to the foul line is always a topic of conversation among aggrieved fans. But the regularity at which Brunson did it — shooting 48 free throws over the final four games — caught Council’s eye.

Even though Brunson is a small, ground-bound guard and Council is a wing that can dunk with the best of them, the 76ers rookie doesn't look to just a single player, or even a position group, for a model on how to develop his game.

"I don’tjustwatchoneperson," Council said, "[because] thenthey’re gonna be like, 'Dang,Rickyplayslike X witha little bit of Yand a little bit ofZandmaybe a little A, too.' So, that’salwaysbeenme: bigonversatility."

As Ricky Council IV’s first offseason with NBA experience begins, the goal is the same as it was a year ago: grow as a player and prove that he can be a difference-maker. 

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