FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Ricky Council IV has been asked about his name plenty of times.
“Growing up, it’s funny, I would always get the same exact question,” Council IV said. “It gets to the point where I cut the person off and just answer because I know what they’re about to ask me.”
So here's the answer: he's the son of Ricky Council and the youngest of three brothers, also named Ricky Council: Ricky Council II, Ricky Council III, and himself, Ricky Council IV.
To avoid confusion, growing up in Durham, North Carolina, Council IV went by the nickname Fourth.
At Arkansas, he says his younger teammates have started calling him C4.
It’s easy to see why.
In his first year since transferring from Wichita State, Council IV has proven himself one of college basketball's most explosive dunkers.
“I think I’m one of the best in the country, as far as tricks wise… in-game,” Council IV said. “I’m not really a dunk contest guy, people say, ‘oh, I want to see you in a dunk contest.’ I do most of my tricks in-game.”
For the past two years, those tricks were done as a Shocker. He entered the transfer portal in the summer and quickly became a Hog.
“Coach Muss was the first one to reach out to me when I entered my name in,” Council IV said. “I just built a connection with him and not only him, the staff. When he wasn’t calling me, Coach Ronnie Brewer was calling me, Coach Gus (Argenal) was calling me. Coach (Keith) Smart was calling me.”
Former Wichita State teammate Trey Wade was at Arkansas last year, and encouraged to make Council IV to make the same move.
“When I entered my name in the transfer portal, he was just saying ‘Arkansas, Arkansas, Arkansas,’ Council IV said. “He always felt like this would be a good place for me.”
Fast forward to now.
Council IV has dunked, jammed, and slammed his way to a team-high 16.9 points per game, enjoying every moment in his first year at Arkansas.
“This is the most fun and joy I’ve been playing with in a long time, probably since my senior year of high school,” Council IV said. “I’m just real happy playing this year. I love my teammates, I love the coaching staff, and I’m just having fun. I think that’s part of my success.”
A success that hasn’t been easy to achieve.
“I was thinking about it the other day, just how much work I’ve put in in college,” Council IV said. “Think about those late nights at Wichita (State) putting in that work. Think about those late nights here just putting in that work.”
“I’ve just been dreaming about this season for a long time, and it’s finally here.”
Success is coming, but the hard work hasn’t stopped.
“Now, toward the end of the year, putting in the work to finish strong in March, because that’s one of my goals: get to the Final Four and get to the championship,” Council IV said.
Just part of the legacy, Council IV hopes to leave at Arkansas.
“When I leave here… when people ask who was one of your favorite players, one of the most exciting players to play here, I want my name to be in that conversation.”