Auburn Basketball Gets Major Boost as Mantas Rubštavičius Cleared for 2026-27 Season

The Auburn Tigers received some great news for the upcoming season. 

After just missing the NCAA Tournament last year, new head coach Steven Pearl, who will enter his second season with the Tigers, went to work in the transfer portal. 

After keeping some key pieces to his original roster following an NIT Championship, such as Tahaad Pettiford and Kevin Overton, there was still plenty of work to do. 

Pearl brought in 6 newcomers to the roster this offseason, and some were considered risks regarding whether they would even be eligible to play this upcoming season. The risk for Pearl and the rest of the Auburn coaching staff paid off, however, as Mantas Rubštavičius has been cleared and has officially joined the Tigers roster. 

Rubštavičius stands at 6-foot-6 and is a wing out of Lithuania, and has a unique resume when it comes to his experience level before heading to Auburn this season. Throughout his basketball career, he has played at multiple top levels in Lithuania, including the EuroLeague, EuroCup, and the Australian NBL.

The euro-wing added more to his experience in 2024 when he participated in the NBA Summer League with the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted. Although he looked great, showcasing his talents with a 12-point, 6-rebound performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, he was never signed to an NBA contract, which would allow him to play at the NCAA level. 

He is coming off a 41-game season in which he shot 43.5 percent from 3-point range and averaged just under 11 minutes per game. According to Draft Express, he is seen as the top international wing prospect taking the college basketball route this upcoming season. 

Rubštavičius will be joined by 5 other players from the transfer portal as they head to Auburn, looking to return to the NCAA Tournament next season. He will join guard George Kimble III and center Bukky Oboye. He will also team up with forwards Adam Olsen, Thomas Dowd, and Owen Freeman.