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• Zavier Zens was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin boys basketball player of the year.
• The Wisconsin Lutheran senior also won the Mr. Basketball award and a third straight state title.
• Zens averaged 23.4 points per game and led his team to an undefeated 30-0 season.
• He was also recognized for his community service, youth coaching, and a 3.38 GPA.

Wisconsin Lutheran senior Zavier Zens rounded out a week that already saw him named to the Naismith High School All-American list, receive the Mr. Basketball Award from the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association and win a third consecutive WIAA state title with his Vikings teammates by being named the 2025-26 Gatorade Wisconsin boys basketball player of the year.

In a release from March 20, Gatorade announced Zens as Wisconsin Lutheran’s second Gatorade player of the year in the past three seasons, joining his first cousin, Kon Knueppel. The 6-foot-7 Northern Iowa commit averaged 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists and shot 61.8% from the field, leading Wisconsin Lutheran’s second 30-0 season in the past three years.

In addition to his on-court impact, the Gatorade press release highlighted Zens’ community impact as a youth basketball coach, participation in community service through his church and a 3.38 weighted GPA in the classroom among the factors leading to his selection.

MORE: Natalie Kussow wins back-to-back Gatorade player of the year awards

“Zavier is incredible,” Greendale coach Ryan Johnson said in the Gatorade release. “He has had an incredible season as the leader of not only the top-ranked team in the state, but one of the best teams in the country. He scores at all three levels, defends at a high level and is a true leader.”

Zens scored 21 points in a 68-61 WIAA Division 1 state semifinal win over Appleton North on March 20, before adding another team-best 20 points on 8-of-9 shooting to lead a 57-37 win in the D1 state title game over Madison Memorial on March 21.

He finishes his career as the No. 3 career scorer in school history (1,611 points), No. 7 in career rebounds (463), No. 2 in career threes (154) and single-season points (703), while holding the school record for converted field goals in a season (282).

VOTE NOW: Vote for the high school athlete of the week, presented by Piggly Wiggly

Gatorade player of the year recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in 12 sports, including: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, as well as boys and girls track and field. In total, 610 high school athletes are recognized each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports by a committee that leverages coaches, scouts, media and other sources to determine each sport’s winner.

In April, the Motown Museum in Detroit will premiere “Psychedelic Soul: A Journey Through Rhythms and Time,” a new exhibition exploring the evolution of the Motown Sound during one of the most transformative periods in music history.

It will be the first exhibit presented at the Esther Gordy Edwards Centre for Excellence, the Museum’s new 38,000-square-foot space that opened in 2025 to honor founder Esther Gordy Edwards and accelerate the institution’s future through community engagement, education, and creative exploration.

Gordy Edwards, during the mid-1960s, served as vice president and CEO of Motown Records, which was founded by her younger brother, Berry, in 1959. A graduate of Cass Technical High School and Howard University, she created the Motown Museum and served as its president for many years.

While public tours of the original Hitsville U.S.A. campus remain paused during the Museum’s ongoing expansion project, Motown Museum is utilizing the Esther Gordy Edwards Centre for Excellence to welcome guests, offer a curated exhibition experience, and continue sharing the Motown story.

The period from 1967 to 1975 marked Motown’s Psychedelic Soul era, when the label expanded beyond its signature love songs to embrace experimentation and socially conscious storytelling. Guided by producer Norman Whitfield, artists like The Temptations helped define the sound with Grammy-winning hits such as “Cloud 9” and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.”

“Psychedelic Soul: A Journey Through Rhythms and Time” features rare vinyl releases, vintage fashion, immersive multimedia, and artifacts that capture the cultural and technological shifts of the era. Through docent-led tours, the exhibition connects this transformative chapter of Motown’s history to its lasting influence on contemporary music and culture.

Motown Museum members can experience the Psychedelic Soul exhibit tour for free. Reservations are required for members, and can be made by calling the box office at 313-875-2264.

The exhibit will open to the public on April 17 and run through Sept. 27, 2026. Exhibit hours are Wednesday thru Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The address is 2550 W. Grand Blvd.

Tickets are available online now at motownmuseum.org.

Note: The Motown Museum retail store will be open onsite at the Esther Gordy Edwards Centre for Excellence during exhibit hours.

Founded in 1985, Motown Museum is a 501(c)(3) not for profit, tax-exempt organization. The museum is committed to preserving, protecting, and presenting the Motown story through authentic, inspirational, and educational experiences.

Announced in late 2016, the Motown Museum expansion will grow the facility to a nearly 50,000-square-foot world-class entertainment and education tourist destination featuring dynamic, interactive exhibits, a performance theater, recording studios, an expanded retail experience, and meeting spaces. It is scheduled to be completed in spring 2027.

For more information on Motown Museum, visit motownmuseum.org.