College basketball is right around the corner and with that coming, we are starting to get a look at teams and players early on. This only starts the talk about the upcoming NBA Drafts and who could be names you might be hearing down the road as well.
One player that I’m personally interested in watching this year at Arkansas will be Ricky Council IV, who started his college career at Wichita State and is now a junior with the Razorbacks. Council has already had a string college career, coming off a great season with the Shockers in which he won AAC Sixth Man of the Year and averaged 12 points per game. Being one of the top prospects to put his name in the transfer portal, Council now will look to showcase his impact on an even bigger stage in the SEC.
But there should be talk about his game and his future if his stock continues to rise and he elevates his game in one of the top conferences. When you look at Council’s game, there is a lot to like; we are talking about a 6’6, 205-pound prospect who may be the most explosive athlete in the conference (that is saying a lot for a conference like the SEC). Council is strong out in transition and his elite athleticism will immediately catch your attention, while he is also solid on the boards and he was nationally ranked last year in steal percentage. He creates well off the dribble and uses his size to his advantage, but there are areas where he could improve including his perimeter shooting (shot 44 percent as a freshman but only 31 percent last year at Wichita State).
There is no doubt about it, there is a buzz surrounding the Razorbacks coming into the season and they won’t be lacking talent on the court. Though the incoming freshmen group will have the national buzz for many, Council is one that more should be hearing about and watching coming into the season, as he could be a name you see popping up more on draft boards if he continues to develop and showcase his game.
Outsider’s Take on Ricky Council:
We spoke with Jonathan Wasserman, the lead NBA scout with Bleacher Report, to get his thoughts on Council. Here is what he had to say:
“Looks the part with 6-6 NBA wing size and explosive athleticism. Creation flashes, scoring off the dribble make him extra enticing. Struggled around the basket despite his athletic ability though. Finishing skills/adjustments need to get better. The biggest concern is that he’s not sharp enough to be used as an initiator/creator at the NBA level, and he doesn’t possess an ideal off-ball or role-player skill set without a strong catch-and-shoot game or playmaking/passing. His role for a loaded Arkansas team will be similar to what he’ll need to play in NBA (unless he really takes off as a PnR/Iso weapon) so this year is a good chance to get familiar/improve in that spot-up role.”