Entering his second season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Ricky Council IV doesn’t know exactly what his role will be. But with a full year of NBA experience under his belt, he has a much better idea of what to expect and a spot on the Sixers' main roster.
Council is one of the 76ers' main sources of youthful contributions outside Tyrese Maxey. Even though he played sparingly in his rookie season, he has quickly become a fixture of the team's future. Fans have high hopes for him. Coaches and teammates recognize the youthful, talented player on the rise. In his appearance at the team's back-to-school event, the crowd of students he greeted were thrilled to see him.
Maxey has aided Council's development, making sure he stays ready to play and offering to work out with him during the offseason. Now one of the longest-tenured players on the team with a new contract extension that will keep him around for the future, Maxey is looking to be even more of a leader. That starts with helping young players come along.
“That's my guy for sure, on and off the court,” Council told reporters at the event, “and [I] can't wait to see our relationship continue to build and hopefully bring the championship to the city this year.”
Maxey and Council both work hard on their games but also recently took some time off together, vacationing in Mexico earlier this month. As the 2024-25 season approaches, they'll begin working toward a championship pursuit.
Tyrese Maxey & Ricky Council IV took a vacation together to Mexico pic.twitter.com/i6IW0l4756
— Harrison Grimm (@Harrison_Grimm) September 4, 2024
Tyrese Maxey & Ricky Council IV took a vacation together to Mexico
Ricky Council IV working to become “complete” player for 76ers
Council said his main areas of focus in his second NBA offseason were his shooting and understanding of the game. He rewatched some of the games he played last season to pinpoint things he could have done better.
“I would just say I've gotten a lot better knowing the game, skill-wise, shooting-wise. Just feel like my game is really becoming complete,” he told reporters. “Playing on the Sixers for one season, I know what they're doing. I know where I'm supposed to be and when I'm supposed to be there. Just looking forward to the upcoming year.”
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The 76ers have plenty of capable wings but Council still stands out with his nonstop motor, defensive versatility and consistent foul drawing. By the looks of how their depth chart may shake out, he should have a real shot at being one of the nine-to-ten players in Nick Nurse's rotation.
Council wants to be as versatile as possible. Play as many positions as possible. Do as much on the court as possible. If he can do whatever the team needs at any given moment, he can get on the court more often. No matter what the skill is, Council wants to excel.
“If he's looking for somebody to go rebound, I can be that option. Looking for somebody to be a knockdown shooter, I can be that option,” he said. “Being able to do all the little things on the court so when he looks at the bench, I'm somebody that he can look at for one of the first options.”
Even when he was an undrafted rookie on a two-way contract, Ricky Council IV was confident. Now that he has a year of NBA/G League experience and a spot on Philly's roster, his springboard aimed toward a bigger role is even springier.
