Auburn Basketball landed one of the top international prospects in college basketball, adding Lithuanian wing Mantas Rubštavičius. The 6-foot-6 EuroLeague veteran shot 43.5% from 3-point range last season and gives the Tigers a major boost as they chase an NCAA Tournament return under Steven Pearl.
The Auburn Tigers Men's Basketball team just made a splash on the international commitment trail. One that may be seen as the biggest win thus far under second-year head coach Steven Pearl.
The program added 24-year-old Mantas Rubštavičius to their roster on Friday. He stands at 6-foot-6 and is a wing out of Lithuania. According to Draft Express, he is seen as the top international wing prospect taking the college basketball route this upcoming season.
After Auburn missed out on the NCAA tournament this past season, adding a proven player like Rubštavičius to its roster should surely jumpstart its return deep in the tourney. 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, including a 12-point, 6-rebound performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, he was never signed to an NBA contract, which allows 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.
It is expected that Rubštavičius will play mostly wing or the 3 position for Auburn this upcoming season, potentially sharing time with players such as South Alabama transfer Adam Olsen and Freshman signee Caleb Williams.
The upcoming roster currently sits at 11 players. The Tigers will have four players returning from last year's NIT championship run; the rest will all be newcomers in the SEC.