Illinois Basketball Lands Wisconsin Mr. Basketball Zavier Zens

Illinois basketball landed 3-star recruit Zavier Zens following his official visit on Sunday. Zens visited Utah State, Illinois, and Wisconsin over the weekend before ultimately choosing the Fighting Illini.

The Wisconsin native originally committed to Northern Iowa but reopened his recruitment after his future head coach, Ben Jacobson, took the Utah State job. He quickly picked up high-major offers from both Wisconsin and Illinois.

A Milwaukee native, Zens is the 2026 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball and starred at Wisconsin Lutheran High School. Greg Gard and the Badgers pushed hard to keep the in-state product home, but ultimately came up short.

Zens is ranked as the No. 3 player in Wisconsin and the No. 32 power forward nationally in the 2026 class, according to 247Sports. He averaged 23.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while leading Wisconsin Lutheran to its third consecutive state championship. His efficient 40% shooting from three and 61.1% from the field stood out to the Illinois coaching staff.

The 6-foot-7 forward played AAU basketball for the Wisconsin Playground Warriors on the Under Armour Circuit, where he averaged 13.4 points and 4.5 rebounds during the 2026 season.

Brad Underwood has emphasized shooting and positional size in recent offseasons, and Zens fits that mold perfectly. He’s a versatile forward who can battle inside while also stretching the floor offensively. Zens was also named Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year and earned MaxPreps All-American Third Team honors. Zens joins fellow Illini freshman Quentin Coleman on the MaxPreps All-American Team.

Despite his standout senior season, Zens is currently a three-star recruit and will likely have to compete for minutes early in his college career. However, the Illinois staff has a strong track record of identifying and developing under-the-radar talent, so don’t be surprised if Zens develops into a high-level contributor.

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