Just a short few days after the Auburn Tigers were able to gain eligibility for one of their big men, another player with the Tigers is now taking an extra step to try and gain clearance for the upcoming basketball season.
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Guard and wing player Mantas Rubštavičius has sued the NCAA in an Alabama court in an attempt to get eligibility that allows him to play for Auburn and Steven Pearl in the 2026-2027 season.
Rubštavičius is one of two international players currently listed on the Tigers’ roster, as the program got a commitment from him in May and his signing in June.
The Lithuanian played for Žalgiris Kaunas before coming to the Plains, participating in the Lithuanian Basketball League and averaging 7.8 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists in leading the team to a 31-1 record.
The NCAA granted two years of eligibility to French center Narcisse Ngoy, a piece of news that Pearl announced on Oct. 8 following the team’s Pro Day. That gave him clearance to be able to play this season, with Auburn playing in its first exhibition game on Wednesday night against Florida State in Boutwell Auditorium.
In providing the update, Pearl said that Rubštavičius and Utah State transfer Kolby King were each still fighting their own cases at the time, but that the situation was “fluid” and updates were constantly coming.
“Mantas is still going through the process of working towards his eligibility,” Pearl said at Pro Day.
The Tigers’ first game of the regular season is set for Nov. 4, when they take on Southeastern Louisiana in Neville Arena.
Auburn Undercover is an independent Auburn sports media company covering Auburn athletics, recruiting and insider news.
