The Wisconsin Badgers saw another 2026 recruit pop up on their radar last week when 2026 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball Zavier Zens requested a release from his National Letter of Intent (NLI) from the Northern Iowa Panthers.
Zens, a three-star recruit in the Class of 2026, was initially committed to Northern Iowa since August of last year, but decided to de-commit and seek his release from the school when head coach Ben Jacobson left for the Utah State Aggies earlier this offseason.
He was officially given
his release and has now reopened his recruitment, with the Badgers being an early team to show interest in the Wisconsin Lutheran standout. This season, Zens averaged 23.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, proving that he could play at the collegiate level.
Zens had camped with the Badgers last summer, but decided to pull the trigger early on an offer from Northern Iowa and commit to a school last Fall. But now, with his recruitment open, the Badgers will be getting an official visit from Zens, according to 247Sports’s Nick Osen.
Osen reports that the visit will take place on Monday, April 13th. Zens is also expected to take visits to Utah State, where Jacobson is heading, and Illinois before deciding on a school.
Wisconsin currently has two commits in its 2026 class: three-star wing LaTrevion Fenderson and Australian guard Jackson Ball. They are also still tapped into the international pool of recruits, and could end up adding another commitment there when it’s all said and done.
Of course, roster spots play into the equation of things, as Wisconsin should have a big group of returners back for the 2026-27 season. If Wisconsin takes four freshmen, that lessens the number of transfers that they’d target, but depending on how well it can retain its top players, that might not matter.
Regardless, the 2026 Wisconsin Mr. Basketball winner is heading to Madison for an official visit, with the Badgers hoping to close on him next week.
