Brad Underwood has been putting on a clinic, as five Illinois basketball stars from last year's Final Four team announced their return to the team.
It has been an embarrassment of riches for the Illini as they look to make another run for a title this fall. They will be on yet another trek for the promised land, even without Kylan Boswell and Keaton Wagler at the helm.
The future is bright for the Orange and Blue. But even through all of the retention headlines, Illinois was still able to steal a top recruit from their neighbors to the north. On Friday evening, Zavier Zens took to social media to announce his commitment to Illinois.
Blessed‼️ #committed #letswork pic.twitter.com/tK9Gd5QiDw
— Zavier Zens (@Zavier44) April 17, 2026
Zens, a 6-foot-7 forward from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a large, versatile wing who can score at all three levels and is an excellent shooter from long range. The three-star product of Wisconsin Lutheran is one of the top players in the country at his position, ranking in the top 40 as a forward and No. 3 in his home state.
Underwood's new prep prospect has proven to be a dynamic offensive threat, averaging 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game on 42% shooting from three-point range during his senior year. Zens is now the fifth player from the Class of 2026 to commit to Illinois, joining the likes of Quentin Coleman and Lucas Morillo, among others.
Zavier Zens provides great depth and potential to an already stacked Illinois basketball squad
The Illini have a chance to develop Zens into one of the premier perimeter shooters in the country during his first few years with the program. The lengthy Zens, according to 247Sports Jeremy Werner's scouting report, can be described on offense as;
"He's a very dangerous spot-up threat who converted catch-and-shoot looks at a high clip, but he's also flashed the ability to create his own shot off the bounce and can rise up and hit mid-range shots thanks to his size."
Zens has a great skillset that can space the floor for the Illini, but he will need to fine-tune his mechanics in his first year or two with the team. If he can impress in training camp or at the start of the season, he may find some minutes early on. But expect him to be a project for the future.
Simply put, it's always nice to steal a Badger from his homeland and keep him away from that school up in Madison. Let's hope he works out for the better.
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