re: Tide Hoops | Recruiting

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Hurley is going to get fired at Arizona State after next season if he doesn't make it to the NCAAs. I wonder if he'd be willing to work for Oats after previously being his boss.

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Probably not. But I don't think I'd want him anyway. He's a notorious a-hole.

Our portal recruiting seems reminiscent of a horny teenager or a recently divorced guy. We are interested in anybody who is willing to give us the time of day.


Eta: I should clarify that it only feels that way. I think the staff has a plan. But as fans we are in the dark.

I like Council a lot. That'd be a great pickup. Young, excellent defender, long (6'6), great FT shooter which should translate to 3PT shooting (which he was good not great at).

Really hope we can push and get this guy on campus.

Yep - there is a reason somebody like Kansas is on his list

- 50%+ eFG%
- 55%+ true shooting %
- good rebounder
- 2.1% block rate
- 2.5% steal rate
- very good analytical defensive numbers without fouling
- 85% free throw shooter
- 31% from 3 last year and 42% as a freshman
- only going to be a 3rd year Sophomore
- 6-6 wing

He is the only guy in the portal to have the following:

- over 3% Off Reb rate (5.3%)
- over 15% Def Reb rate (17.8%)
- over 1% block rate (2.1%)
- over 2% steal rate (2.5%)
- over 30% 3PT rate (31%)
- over 80% FT rate (85%)

That's a useful player


Ricky Council Highlights

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Ricky Council IV transfer: Wichita State guard down to six finalists

Wichita State transfer Ricky Council IV has sliced his list to six finalists. Council announced Tuesday on Instagram that Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia Tech, Mississippi State, Kansas and Iowa State made the cut. The 6-foot-6 wing has quickly become one of the most coveted players in the college basketball transfer portal.

Council was named the AAC Sixth Man of the Year in 2021-22 after averaging 12 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game on 43.7% shooting from the field, 30.6% from beyond the arc and 84.9% from the charity stripe for Wichita State.

Council was good at getting into the lane and converting tough in-between 2s. He shot 52% in the lane, but only 56% at the rim. There is certainly room to grow in Council’s offensive game.

At the same time, Council makes his money on the other end. He profiles as one of the elite defenders in the portal, grading out in the 87th percentile in overall defense, according to Synergy, and he swiped 1.1 steals per game.

From Durham (N.C.) Northern, Council was a three-star prospect and the No. 403 overall prospect in the Class of 2020. He chose Wichita State over scholarship offers from Appalachian State and Rice.

Here is a closer look at his six finalists.

Arkansas: Eric Musselman is bringing in talent, but the path to playing time is not hard to envision for Council. Arkansas has three All-Americans coming in. Davonte Davis is also returning. But Arkansas is losing stout perimeter defenders, and Council could step in as the Hogs’ defensive stopper right away.

Georgia Tech: Josh Pastner is looking for bucket-getters to replace Michael Devoe and Jordan Usher. There are many shots available, and Pastner has a track record of getting guys to the next level. Council would instantly have a chance to be Georgia Tech’s featured scorer.

Mississippi State: This would be a really intriguing landing spot for Council. New Mississippi State program leader Chris Jans is a winning coach who prioritizes tough, two-way players who can really get after it. That is Council, too. Mississippi State can sell Council as being a major piece to the puzzle alongside returning forward Tolu Smith and Oregon State transfer Dashawn Davis.

Iowa State: T.J. Otzelberger has quickly shot up the ranks as one of the elite defensive coaches in the country. The Cyclones landed Temple transfer Jeremiah Williams due to his terrific defensive instincts. Council could be even savvier on the defensive end. Iowa State is losing Izaiah Brockington and Tyrese Hunter, so there are opportunities for Council to flex his muscles offensively. Williams, Council and Gabe Kalscheur would form a trio of guards that can make opposing teams miserable with their blanketing defense.

Alabama: Nate Oats’ system is a guard’s paradise. So while Alabama has a lot of guards slated to have big roles, there’s also room for a stud like Council to come in and make an impact right away. Jahvon Quinerly and Nimari Burnett are both trying to return after major season-ending injuries. Ohio transfer Mark Sears is a nice piece, and Oats has a talented recruiting class, headlined by Brandon Miller and Jaden Bradley. Role development is a huge factor, and Alabama just does not have that right now. Council would be entering a situation where it is not inconceivable for him to step in as one of Alabama’s top options offensively while simultaneously being the top wing defender.

Kansas: Bill Self is clearly itching to find another talented guard to add to his backcourt. Kansas is in on Iowa State transfer Tyrese Hunter, but Council is a different animal. Hunter feels like a potential Remy Martin replacement. Council is more of a Christian Braun replacement. The competition would be stiff and Self cannot guarantee a starting spot to Council, but Kansas could be a place where Council transforms into one of college basketball’s rising stars.

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True. I wonder if we are not just being selective. Really good players still in the portal are likely in the draft too, if only to be evaluated like Shack last year. We may have our eyes on some of those guys so not so quick to sign just a position filler.

They must be writing blank checks or something at this point. Is anyone else going to sign anything approaching both a top 5 prep class and top 5 portal class? They seem to be completely immune to what I suspect our problem has been, which is guys looking at the roster and asking "where are my minutes coming from?"

But they have. They have 6 prep LOIs and 4 portal signings. They can't have more than 1-2 more scholarships to give and guys are beating down the door to take one, whereas ours might end up going to some D2 player.

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Davidson transfer Mike Jones tells me that he's receiving interest from the following programs:

Alabama
Northwestern
Stanford

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Davidson transfer Michael Jones says the three schools showing the most interest are Alabama, Northwestern and Stanford. One of the best shooters in the portal. Made 42% of his 3s last season.

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HELL YES

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36. Michael Jones | 6-5 wing | senior | Davidson

Jones is about as pure a floor-spacer as you’ll find in the portal, a sniper from distance who has a track record as strong as a shooter as anyone else available. A redshirt junior with two years of eligibility left, he’ll likely be looking for a new home because Davidson doesn’t have graduate programs at its school. He hit 42 percent from 3 this past season on five attempts per game, with many of those coming off of tough movement opportunities within Davidson’s offense. Overall, he posted 12 points, four rebounds and two assists for an NCAA Tournament team. He’s also not a bad passer and knows how to read the defense. He can attack a closeout occasionally and back-cut for wide-open looks at the rim, but mostly we’re talking about a 3-point gunner here who profiles well for any team looking for an influx of shooting. He’s originally from Minnesota, so it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see him end up in the Big Ten.

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