[The following scouting report is part of a series on potential 2023 draft prospects from Sports Business Classroom alumni.]

Ricky Council IV
Frame: 6’6″, 205 lbs
Position: Guard
School: Arkansas
Year: Junior
2023 Draft Age: 21
Stats via sports-reference.com

Offense 

Council IV is a versatile, patient and often elite offensive player, specifically within the three-point line. He is a shot-maker between the paint and arc who can knock down pull-ups and turnarounds regardless of the defender. He finishes in multiple ways around the rim, be it an acrobatic finish or a powerful throwdown. Council attacks defenders directly to draw the foul, all of which makes him a threat in transition. 

Council shot 50 percent from two-point range last season with the Razorbacks, which stands out as defenders rarely gave him an easy bucket. He also took the second-most free throws in the SEC this past season and over 10 apiece in eight games. He also spent the last two seasons in the top 10 of his respective conference in free throw percentage – third in the AAC with Wichita State at 84.9 percent and eighth last season at 79.4 percent.  

Council uses a tight handle and well-timed maneuvers to escape his defenders and find his desired shot. While he does not have the most explosive first step, which can limit his ability to attack, his ballhandling mitigates that to a degree and allows him to still always get at least a decent shot off inside the three-point line. He has shown flashes throughout his season to run an effective pick-and-roll.

Where Council misses the mark offensively is with his three-point shooting. At only 27 percent on career-high 3.5 attempts per game, he has improved over his three NCAA seasons in the NCAA—if anything, he has only gotten worse. His form has a different look from behind the arc compared to inside, with what looks like extra push and a more exaggerated hitch in his shot. Unless he has the time to completely set up a three-point attempt, Council has difficulty getting any decent shot off from that range. 

With Council’s limits from range and his score-first mindset, there are times when he got stuck in tunnel vision and forced up a contested shot early in the shot clock. He must be more disciplined to stay in an NBA rotation early in his career.

 

Defense 

Council has consistently displayed the capability to defend a team’s best wing. He diligently ensures his matchup does not get where they want when guarding on the ball. He mirrors his man, forcing them to their off-hand, and does so without committing unnecessary fouls. He takes a ‘let them make the mistake’ approach to defending as he is not very aggressive but does his best to stay between the ball and the basket. 

Council needs to bring more off the ball, as he loses focus ball-watching and is thus prone to losing his man. As a help defender, Council struggles to commit, often starts to give help or double, but then fails to fully apply pressure. He appears to overthink the situation, and rather than fully act as a defender in these situations, he will move closer to the play but not do much more than just watch it.

Looking Ahead

While Council will be 22 years old by the time the 2023-24 NBA season begins, there is a degree of “What you see is what you get” with him as a prospect. While he displays plenty of good habits, specifically as an inside scorer and on-ball defender, the biggest concern with players his age is his underdeveloped three-point shot. At this moment, he is a much more significant threat offensively with the ball in his hands. If he cannot find a way to progress as a shooter from deep and be a greater off-ball threat, he may struggle to maintain consistent minutes on an NBA roster next to star players. 

While the age and lack of three-point shooting are concerning, Council has a very effective mid-range jump shot and high-quality free-throw shooter. He may have the tools to grow from behind the arc with an NBA-level shooting coach.

Council displays skills and tendencies similar to Will Barton and Tim Hardaway Jr., as he likes to score off the dribble and defends the ball with a contagious level of tenacity. He has all the potential to be a formidable sixth man and bucket-getter for an NBA team.