Zens, who attends Wisconsin Lutheran High School, won Wisconsin's Mr. Basketball this season. His standout senior campaign included per-game averages of 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, four assists and 1.5 steals.247Sports lists Zens as a three-star recruit.

He's specifically ranked as the No. 237 player in the class, the No. 39 power forward and the No. 3 player from Wisconsin. The promising prospect joins an Illinois class of 2026 that currently ranks No. 14 nationally. Wisconsin's class of 2026 currently has two players committed: in-state small forward LaTrevion Fenderson and international shooting guard Jackson Ball.

The Badgers' primary focus is likely on the ongoing transfer cycle, as the team still has several starting spots up for grabs after the departures of star guards John Blackwell and Nick Boyd.COMMIT: #illini land three-star forward Zavier Zens, the 2026 Wisconsin Mr. BasketballWhy it matters & a scouting report: https://t.co/BK7Bo2Q8h7pic.twitter.com/O1CostG18l— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) April 17, 2026Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinionThis article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball top recruiting target Zavier Zens Illinois commit