AUBURN, Ala. (WSFA) – The 2026-27 Auburn men’s Basketball roster is coming together, and Tuesday, the Tigers announced that Steven Pearl has signed a top European talent in Mantas Rubštavičius from Panevezys, Lithuania.
A 6-foot-6 guard, Rubštavičius joins the Tigers via Žalgiris Kaunas, a club of the Lithuanian Basketball League. He averaged 7.8 ppg, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists this past season, helping Žalgiris Kaunas finish with a 31-1 overall record.
“We are excited to welcome Mantas to our program,” Pearl said. “Mantas comes from a strong basketball background and has developed into one of Europe’s most accomplished young players. He brings a unique combination of size, shooting ability, versatility and basketball IQ that allows him to impact the game in a variety of ways.”
Since signing with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2018, Rubštavičius has spent the last eight years competing in the Lithuanian and Australian basketball league. In 2022, he averaged 7.1 ppg in the Lithuanian league and in 2023 he averaged 9.5 ppg in the Australian league playing for the New Zealand Breakers.
Rubštavičius rounds out an impressive signing class for Pearl and the Tigers. Below is a full list of 2026-27 signees:
Narcisse Ngoy – C – 7’0’’ – France/Union Poitiers Basket 86 Bukky Oboye – F/C – 7’1’’ – Houston Texas/Santa ClaraAdam Olsen – G/F – 6’8’’ – Surrey, B.C., Canada/South AlabamaOwen Freeman – F – 6’10’’ – Moline, Ill./Iowa/CreightonThomas Dowd – F – 6’8’’ – Dothan, Ala./Troy George Kimble III – G – 6’2’’ – Tampa, Fla./Eckerd/EKU/VanderbiltMantas Rubštavičius – G – 6’6’’ – Panevezys, Lithuania/ Žalgiris Kaunas Caleb Williams – G – 6’5’’ – Tampa, Fla./Specially Fit Academy (incoming freshman)
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