If you have been around the state of North Carolina and followed high school basketball, you know the name Ricky Council.
Ricky Council II was a tremendous standout at Northern Durham and Council IV has all the tools to be a dynamic playmaker as well. It may have taken a little time for his overall development but it seems that his entire game is clicking all at the right time.
Back in 2017, Phenom Hoops had this to say:
“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.”
He has continued to showcase that elite talent and is now becoming a hot target with college coaches, as Phenom Hoops went 1-on-1 with the rising senior. Check out the latest from Council IV, along with his recruitment.
—
Phenom: You have made great strides in your game over the years that we have noticed. What have you seen and been working on with your game to get to where you are today?
Council: “I continue to work on my ball-handling, shot consistency and getting stronger. I also practice guarding positions 1 through 4.”
Phenom: What are the factors of your game that you want to continue to work on?
Council: “Factors of my game I have worked on the most are shot consistency and getting stronger.”
Phenom: It seems like your mindset has been to dominate with your athleticism and more. What made you realize your full potential into the player you are today?
Council: “Athleticism definitely gives me an upper hand on opponents. I realized my full potential when I began playing against the best in the state and was still the best on the court.”
Phenom: How has this summer been for you, basketball-wise? What excited you and did you take anything away from the AAU season?
Council: “Basketball has been good this summer. It excited me to play against some of the best players in the country and do well. One thing I realized was someone is always working, so I have to keep working to be the best.”
Phenom: What has your recruitment been like lately? What offers have you been picking up, along with interest?
Council: “Recruitment has been pretty good. I currently have 15 total offers from UNCG, Old Dominion, Mercer, Georgia Southern, Elon, FAY, Hofstra, Appalachian State, Siena, Kent State, Ohio, UMBC, Coastal Carolina, Houston Baptist, and Rice. I have also been receiving interest from Cincinnati, Wichita State, and UCF.
Phenom: Would you say there are any schools sticking out or making you a high priority?
The schools that stay in contact with me the most are Cincinnati, UNCG, FAU, UMBC, Georgia Southern, Hofstra, and Coastal Carolina. They all say I would be a good player wherever I go, they just want me at their university. They all feel I have a bright future.”
Phenom: How do you think you could fit into their system at the next level?
Council: “I feel I can fit into all the schools’ systems that are recruiting me. They all like to play fast and love athletic and versatile scoring guards like me.”
Phenom: What are your upcoming visits? Or, have you made any visits in the past? How did that go and what did you like about that program?
Council: “I have been on three unofficial visits to Cincinnati, UNCG, and Elon.
Elon went well. The coaching staff was great and the campus was really nice. I think Elon will have a bright future. UNCG went really well also. I like the coaching staff, especially Coach (Wes) Miller. He is a very energetic coach with visions for the program. To have a head coach really want me as he does always makes you consider that school because all decisions are made through him. Also, the campus is nice and steadily growing. I believe UNCG will have a very bright future.
Cincinnati was great, Coach (John) Brannen is a first-year coach at Cincinnati and has a good vision for the program. The campus is really nice and big with a good fan base. Cincinnati has all sorts of performance tools that can help boost my performance. They also have some amazing recovery tools I didn’t know existed. Coach Mike, the performance coach, can really help develop my body in a number of ways. He has helped many players get into the NBA.
I am also taking an official visit to Georgia Southern in September.”
