DE PERE (NBC 26) – Zach Kinziger, one of the state’s top basketball players in the class of 2025, made it official on Wednesday.
The De Pere defenseman and former WIAA state champion signed with the Wisconsin Badgers after graduating next spring.
“It feels great to officially become a Badger,” De Pere senior guard Zack Kinziger said. “I’ve always been a Badger, but now that I can put pen to paper, it’s a really nice feeling.
Kinziger, who ranked Wisconsin as ESPN’s No. 68 recruit in the country last year.
“Everything fit together,” he said. “Being an out-of-state kid, being a lifelong Badger fan, loving the coaching staff and the tradition they have at Wisconsin, it was really hard for me to overcome.”
Last season as a junior with the Redbirds, Kinziger averaged 19 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
He has played at the varsity level since his freshman year and shot 42% from beyond the arc.
Kinziger said he feels his playing style will be perfect once he gets to Madison.
“They’re picking up the pace a little bit,” Kinziger said. “I shoot a lot of threes, which I like. I’ve seen players like Brevin Pritzl in the past even come through De Pere (and go to Wisconsin).”
“I can imagine myself playing like these guys,” he continued. “I think it will be a great fit for me.”
After winning the 2022 state title, Kinziger said he’s cheerful to have all the stress of recruiting behind him. He said he can now focus on his final ride with the Redbirds.
“Now that’s my main goal – to get the golden ball back after failing to win it last year,” Kinziger said. “The rest of my teammates would agree with me on that. That’s job No. 1 right now, and then I can worry about (being) a Wisconsin Badger.
