Three-Star Wisconsin Wing Zavier Zens Heading to Illinois for Official Visit Sunday
Illinois basketball is bringing in three-star wing Zavier Zens for an official visit on Sunday, and this kid comes with some serious credentials. The 6-foot-7, 215-pound Milwaukee native out of Wisconsin Lutheran High School is ranked No. 237 overall in the Class of 2026 by the Composite rankings and sits at No. 32 power forward nationally according to 247Sports. This visit happens right in the middle of a busy recruiting stretch for Zens, who just left Utah State on Friday and heads to Wisconsin on Monday.
The Zens Story: From Wisconsin Mr. Basketball to the Portal
Originally committed to Northern Iowa, Zens requested a release from his NLI after head coach Ben Jacobson left for Utah State. It's a smart move by the prospect, and now he's testing the waters with some major programs. His senior season at Wisconsin Lutheran tells you everything you need to know about his game. He averaged 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals while leading his team to a perfect 30-0 record and the school's third consecutive WIAA Division I state championship. He was named Wisconsin Mr. Basketball and earned Third Team All-America honors from MaxPreps.
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Zens comes from serious basketball pedigree. He's cousins with Charlotte Hornets rookie and former Duke star Kon Knueppel. Even better, he was teammates with three other Knueppels in the Class of 2027, 2028, and 2029, all guards or forwards. That kind of family basketball atmosphere doesn't hurt when you're developing your game at the highest level.
Illinois is looking to build around its returners and an incoming four-person freshman class as it fills roster spots. Zens' official visit on Sunday will give the Illini a chance to make their pitch to one of the top wings available in this recruiting class.
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