G League Standout Returns to Sixers' Facility Preparing for Next Year

Philadelphia 76ers' Ricky Council IV is back in the lab.

Feb 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ricky Council IV (16) shoots against Miami Heat forward Duncan Robinson (55) and forward Kevin Love (42) in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

This summer, the Philadelphia 76ers’ roster is expected to see a ton of changes. With most of the team set to hit the free agency market, there are only a handful of players under contract for next year. The undrafted rookie Ricky Council is one of them.

This week, Council was spotted in the Sixers’ practice facility putting in some offseason work. The soon-to-be sophomore guard is searching for a consistent role in the rotation next year.

The more time he spends in the gym in Camden, New Jersey, the better off Council will be, as he showed a lot of promise in year one.

always workin’ pic.twitter.com/yWIikuv3pf

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 31, 2024

After spending his Junior season at Arkansas, Council finished his NCAA run with a career-high 16 points per game on 43 percent shooting in 36 outings. Following the 2022-2023 NCAA season, Council declared for the NBA Draft.

The Sixers didn’t have a pick to spend in 2023. Although they hoped to buy their way into the second round, Philly couldn’t make a move until after the event. When they signed three undrafted players, Council was fortunate enough to end up on the squad with a two-way deal, which was later converted into a standard NBA contract.

Throughout the 2023-2024 NBA season, Council split time between the Sixers and the Delaware Blue Coats.

During the G League regular season, Council appeared in 11 games. He averaged 23 points, five rebounds, and two assists. During Delaware’s playoff run, Council produced 30 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field.

While his playing time on the main roster was limited, Council appeared in 32 outings. During his nine minutes per game, the rookie put up five points on 48 percent shooting. From three, he averaged 38 percent.

Feb 14, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ricky Council IV (16) loses control of the ball against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) in the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

“You have to prove yourself in the G League, which he did,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey said of Council. “The second year, you really have to take focus a lot on what you need to improve, and if you do that, you then need to give a coach the reason to play you.”

Morey noted that the Sixers are looking for development on the defensive end of the floor from Council next season. As long as there is a clear sign of development there, Council could be in line for more playing time — especially if the Sixers need to look to the reserve department for additional help throughout the year.

Council is clearly putting in the work. It just has to stand out to Nick Nurse in training camp and beyond.