When looking back at the recruitment of Ricky Council IV, it seems a little perplexing why more schools didn’t enter the picture but that ultimately served well for Wichita State in the end. The Shockers secured themselves a 6’6 athletic prospect that can simply produce and put on a show, as the freshman has really carved himself a name in the AAC early on.
So far this season through 10 games, Council is averaging 8.2 points and 5.2 rebounds and is coming off an extremely impressive showing vs. Cincinnati, scoring a career-high 23 points, six rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal… all of that in just 23 minutes of play to help secure a hard-fought 82-76 win.
It goes to show that there wasn’t much doubt of Council’s production on the court but it was more of why more schools didn’t get into the picture. When looking back at what was said during his high school career, one could see the potential that this young man had.
This was said from Phenom Hoops early back in 2017:
“Offensively, Ricky IV has about as complete a game as it comes. Still needing strength and to fine-tune his ball skills, Ricky IV is able to score at all three levels. He is aggressive off the drive and able to pull up and knock down the 3-point shot consistently. Most importantly, the Council family takes academics very seriously so his grades are in great shape.”
This was also said about Council in 2019:
“There’s so much to like with North Carolina’s current talent level, especially in regards to wing players, and Council is definitely one of the best. He’s long and incredibly athletic, but is also quite known for his ability to effortlessly pile on points from all three levels. Council is among the most prolific all-around scorers within the state and he consistently prove that on a night-to-night basis. He has a terrific feel for the game and is capable of generating clean scoring opportunities from anywhere on the floor. Council approaches the game the right way and understands how to play unselfishly or within the normal flow, but can also offer instant offense in the blink of an eye. He handles the ball effectively and rebounds quite well for his position, which allows him to push transition play at a strong rate. Council has all the necessary tools to become a terrific two-way player at the next level, especially if he continues trending upward.”
But it seems now that the Durham prospect is now proving and showing that he was one of the top prospects in his class in North Carolina. He is also quickly making himself known throughout the AAC and starting to get that national attention that he deserves.
