LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas junior Ricky Council IV is entering the 2023 NBA Draft.

A second-team All SEC performer according to the league’s coaches and the Associated Press in 2022-23, Council (6-6 guard) was the team’s leading scorer basically from start to finish at 16.1 points per game, which ranked fifth in the SEC. His 581 points on the season were the second-most in program history for a first-year Hog. He hit 43.3% from the field, including 27.0% from 3, and 79.4% from the free throw line as the team’s best at the line in both volume and efficiency.

Council had 11 games of scoring 20 or more points — including a season-high 27 points in a 74-61 comeback home win over Troy on Nov. 28 — and he scored in double-figures in all but five games. He was second on the team in minutes per game at 34.1 while coming in third in both assists at 2.3 and steals at 1.1 to go with 3.6 rebounds.

Council demonstrated highlight-reel dunking as part of an elite drive-and-finish-at-the-rim game (best at Arkansas since 2020 SEC Player of the Year Mason Jones) to go with some success as a mid-range shooter, and though three-point shooting was not a strength of his game he did step up at times to knock down some clutch shots from distance.

After two seasons (’20-21 and ’21-22) playing at Wichita State, Council transferred to Arkansas and played his line campaign as a Hog in ’22-23.

Council has received some 2023 NBA mock draft projections in the 30-45 range.