Wisconsin Lutheran’s Zavier Zens was named the 2026 Mr. Basketball Award winner by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) in its announcement March 19.
Zens, a Northern Iowa commit, has averaged 23.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg and 4.5 apg for the Vikings (28-0), who will play for a third-straight WIAA state title this week in Madison. He has been a pivotal piece of the three-year run for Wisconsin Lutheran, having averaged 22.2 ppg amid its second straight run to a title in 2025 and 9.9 ppg as a starter on the 2024 title team.
Zens becomes the second Wisconsin Lutheran player to win the award in three years, joining 2024 winner and Zens’ first cousin, Kon Knueppel.
Entering the 2026 state tournament, Zens is the third-leading scorer in school history with 1,570 points, trailing only 2010 alum Flavien Davis (1,615) and Knueppel (1,978). He is also in the top 10 in career rebounds (eighth, 453) and assists (third, 304). Zens was also recognized nationally by the Naismith Awards as an honorable mention All-American on March 16.
Mr. Basketball is an award given annually since 1982 by the WBCA to the most outstanding senior boys basketball player. Recent Milwaukee-area winners include Knueppel (2024), Milan Momcilovic of Pewaukee (2023 shared with De Pere’s John Kinziger) and Seth Trimble (2022).
Other finalists for 2026 Mr. Basketball were Yusef Gray Jr. of West Allis Central, Amare Hereford of Beloit Memorial, Andrew Jensen of Kaukauna and Josh Manchester of Mount Horeb. Semifinalists included Zavier Castillo of Greendale, Cahlil Jones of Germantown, Chris Pohl of Marshfield and JJ Zavatchin of Oostburg.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Lutheran’s Zavier Zens is 2026 WBCA Mr. Basketball Award winner
Reporting by Zac Bellman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
