Second-year 76ers guard honeymoon phase may be coming to an end

On February 10th, 2024, the Philadelphia 76ers faced off against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Down several rotational players, including Joel Embiid, head coach Nick Nurse elected to unleash Ricky Council IV—a 2023 undrafted free agent. 

The inexperienced guard made the most of his 29 minutes with a series of hustle plays and relentless drives to the basket. It was Council’s 19 points and 10 rebounds that guided Philadelphia to a 119-113 victory.

At that moment, 76ers fans thought their team uncovered a hidden gem. However, one year later, little cracks are slowly starting to surface on the gem. 

Ricky Council's emergence

In his rookie season, Council dazzled fans with his roaring motor that thrust him into an instant energy role off the bench. On a two-way contract, Council appeared in 32 games for the 76ers where he posted 5.4 points per game on 60.4% true-shooting. 

While Council’s sheer athleticism and hustle quickly made him a favorite, it was clear that his skillset was far from polished. Still, the potential was glaring. Council had shown flashes of being a formidable slasher who could put opposing defenses in a blender with his strength and will.

The next steps for Council were clear: Improving shot selection and decision-making off the dribble.

Council participated in the 2024 Summer League, where he could get quality reps for his player development. In the Las Vegas portion, he averaged 18.8 points per game on 36.8% shooting from the field and just 1.8 assists per game.

Council looked every bit as aggressive as he did in his rookie campaign, but there were seldom any signs of development heading into his sophomore season.

Council's sophmore slump

With the 76ers’ additions of Paul George and Caleb Martin, along with the retainments of Kelly Oubre Jr. and KJ Martin in the offseason, Council’s role heading into this season was unclear. However, Philadelphia’s devastating influx of injuries opened up more minutes for Council, as he's appeared in 53 of 62 games this season.

He’s averaging 6.0 points per game on 52.1% true-shooting, as well as 2.2 rebounds per contest.

Throughout this season, Council has had moments where his infectious energy has swung games in the 76ers' favor. Unfortunately, those moments are often masked by his mistakes.

Neither Council’s shot diet nor his decision-making has shown any notable improvement from last season. While his energy is indeed beneficial, Council hasn’t consistently been able to play within Philadelphia’s scheme as his situational awareness is the main culprit.

As Council’s impact trended downward, Justin Edwards—a 2024 undrafted free agent—emerged. Edwards has been everything that Council hasn’t proven to be, which is a two-way wing who plays within his role. Resultantly, Edwards has largely taken Council’s minutes and won over Nurse’s trust. 

Look no further than the 76ers’ 123-105 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, March 6th. With Philadelphia down six players, Edwards started and was tasked to defend Jayson Tatum. Meanwhile, Council made his first appearance early in the fourth quarter when the game was well over.

On Friday, he was called down to the Delaware Blue Coats. This proved to be a great opportunity as he totaled a career-high 40 points on 14-27 shooting from the field alongside six rebounds and two steals in Delaware's 118-107 loss to the Greensboro Swarm that same day. Council was recalled to the 76ers later that night.

Council is only 23 years old, and with such athleticism and drive, the potential remains. He is in the second season of his four-year, $7.4 million deal that includes a team option for the 2026-27 season. With that being said, Council has ample time to develop amidst Philadelphia’s risk-free investment.