Ricky Council IV has already seen Nick Nurse’s coaching pay (very) early dividends.
Before the Sixers held their first summer league practice, Council was in touch with the team's new head coach about rebuilding his shooting form.
“Me and Nurse have been texting,” Council said Saturday afternoon at the Sixers’ practice facility in Camden, New Jersey. “We started off yesterday, just kind of broke my shot all the way back down. So we’ve been working on it. I went 3 for 3 today in the scrimmage, so it’s working so far.”
Following practice, the undrafted guard out of Arkansas wasn't among those firing up three-point shots. He instead did close-range form shooting with player development associate coach Toure’ Murry guiding him and player development/assistant coach Fabulous Flournoy watching closely.
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It’s no surprise that the Sixers are focused on Council’s shot. Though he’s a powerful downhill driver and sensational finisher who both drew and made free throws at a high rate last season, his outside jumper was clearly not a strength in college.
As an Arkansas junior, he shot 27.0 percent from three-point range. Council's form appeared somewhat stiff and perhaps too propelled by a push on his release.
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Shooting was Nurse’s standout skill as a college player; he made 46.8 percent of his threes at Northern Iowa. Nurse recalled in “Rapture,” his book with Michael Sokolove, that he ran shooting camps around the Des Moines area in 2007 as he waited to coach the Iowa Energy in its first D League season. He’s long been passionate about shooting.
“I have never not been a shooting coach,” Nurse wrote in ‘Rapture.’ “In Toronto, I teach my players how to do it — and my assistant coaches how to teach it. Few things irritate me more than when I see a coach just rebounding the ball and throwing it back to players without looking closely at form and correcting it. I sometimes say: if we just wanted a rebounder, I could hire a high school kid.”
Council, who officially signed his two-way contract with the Sixers on Saturday, is obviously eager to hear what Nurse has to say.
“I feel like we have a good relationship so far,” he said. “I stay in his ear, try to get as much information as I can so he can help me. He seems like a really good guy, really good coach. That’s all that matters.”
While head coaches generally don’t lead summer league teams, Nurse will be in command for the Sixers’ three games in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Third-year guard Jaden Springer glowed about his hands-on approach.
“He came off strong,” Springer said. “I can tell he’s a coach that really wants to help the players learn and wants to teach. He’s stopping drills, stepping in, and giving us points on what to do here and there.
“It’s great. I haven’t seen that too much since I’ve been in the league. That’s been very special.”
Former Arizona big man Azuolas Tubelis shared a high initial opinion of Nurse, too.
“He’s very serious,” Tubelis said. “Sometimes he says something and then he just smiles … and then he looks at me, so I smile, too. But he asked me if I know (college teammate) Christian Koloko; he coached him in Toronto. It’s good to have some kind of connection. But yeah, he’s a great coach. First impression is very good — the highest level. Everything is clear and it’s easy to understand.”
As for Council, he’ll hope to make a positive first impression on Nurse once the games begin in Utah … even if every jumper doesn’t drop.
“Really, I just want to win,” Council said. “I know everybody looks me up and sees the dunks and all of that. That’ll come in time, but I just want to be a winner.”
