Ricky Council IV did something this season that few undrafted rookies have been able to do.

He earned minutes — and won games — for a team that viewed itself as a contender. Sure, injuries opened up opportunities for the Arkansas product, but boy, did he make the most of those opportunities.

Daryl Morey targeted Council as soon as the high-flying wing wasn’t selected in the 2023 NBA draft, but even the Sixers’ president of basketball operations was surprised by the rookie’s impact — and tempered expectations for the 22-year-old moving forward.

“With Ricky, the way it normally goes — and we spoke to Ricky about this in his exit meeting — is your first year, you almost have no chance, especially if you’re undrafted,” Morey said at his season-ending presser. “You have to prove yourself in the G League, which he did. The second year, you really have to focus a lot on what you need to improve. And if you do that, you then need to give a coach the reason to play you, because you’re probably not going to play a whole lot even in your second year.”

What Council likely heard: challenge accepted.

The North Carolina native had quite the journey to get to this point, defying plenty of odds along the way. This offseason will simply be a continuation of the work he’s already put in.

“All the optional days we have, it’s not optional for us,” Council said during exit interviews. “All the blackout days, I probably missed two or three. But other than that, I was still in here. So it’s a lot of work.”

In his rookie season, Council played 289 total minutes. That’s not much, but there was enough to see that the Sixers could have an undrafted steal on their hands.

There were two games that the Sixers don’t win without Council — Feb. 10 in D.C. and April 7 in San Antonio. In both instances he was unexpectedly thrust into action and in both instances he played a huge part in helping the Sixers secure a victory. Two wins literally made the difference between the Sixers hosting a Play-In game instead of going on the road.

In between those outings, Council shuffled between dominating in the G League and watching NBA games from the bench. He talked all season about how he viewed the opportunity to sit back and watch and learn as a good thing. He watched closely while his teammates lost a hard-fought series to the Knicks in six games.

While Jalen Brunson’s ability to draw fouls — something Council is already pretty damn good at for a young player — caught his attention as something he’d like to add to this game, there isn’t any one player he wants to emulate.

“I don’t just watch one person,” he said, “and they’ll be like, ‘Dang, Ricky plays like X.’ They’ll be like, ‘Dang, Ricky plays like X with a little bit of Y and a little bit of Z — and maybe a little bit of A, too.’ I’ve always been big on versatility.”

Council showed off plenty of versatility and personality during his year in Philly. He became a fan favorite because of his highlight-reel dunks, tenacious play and colorful disposition.

Part of what makes Council so versatile is there aren’t many holes in his game. The biggest one coming into the league was shooting. While his ability to finish inside the arc and make free throws were encouraging signs, he was not a good three-point shooter in college.

It didn’t take long for Council to get to work with Sixers development coach Toure’ Murry. The two worked on every aspect of Council’s game, but the jumper was a major focus. For most young wings with his profile, shooting is a swing skill. It could mean the difference between a long NBA career and looking for another line of work.

Council wasn’t getting consistent playing time in the NBA and had trouble finding rhythm during his first 22 games. He hit only 20% of his shots from deep. But he worked behind-the-scenes and in the G League to develop his jumper.

He ended the season hitting 8-of-12 from three during his final 10 NBA games. Even more than the numbers, Council looked so much more comfortable and confident firing away.

“At this point, I’m shooting the ball amazing,” Council said. “I surprise myself at times. Think about the growth. I still remember I went 1 for 17 in summer league, to the point where I didn’t want to shoot. My teammates begged me to shoot catch-and-shoot shots and I wouldn’t take them. And now I could literally take them with one eye open. … It started in summer league.”

We’ll have to wait and see if Council plays with the Sixers’ summer league team(s) in the coming months. In any case, he’s clearly gotten Morey and head coach Nick Nurse’s attention.

What will he have to do to earn a steady role with the Sixers in 2024-25?

“… I think with Ricky, it could be defense,” Morey said, “so I think as long as his defense is at a high level, that when we (have) an injury or something next year, and Nick is facing a really tough wing that we’re struggling to guard, he might go, ‘You know what, I’m going to give Ricky a shot’ … or it’s multiple injuries, like we had this year, where he’ll get a chance to play.

“Then I think sometimes you grab that job and you never let go. So that’s how it can happen in Year 2. Normally, it’s a little more into Year 3, though …”

Challenge accepted.

“I can’t wait to get to work this summer,” Council said. “I proved a lot of people wrong … there’s more to come of that for sure.”