After finding a clear pathway to eligibility for one of its two international signees earlier this month, Auburn basketball will head to court to find approval for the other.
Mantas Rubstavicius filed a temporary restraining order against the NCAA on Wednesday, Oct. 14, in an Alabama court, according to court documents obtained by the Montgomery Advertiser.
Head coach Steven Pearl announced at the start of Auburn's preseason that three players — Rubstavicius, Narcisse Ngoy and Utah State transfer Kolby King — were awaiting further clarity on their eligibility. Eventually, Pearl announced Oct. 8 that Ngoy had been cleared and made immediately eligible by the NCAA.
King, a fifth-year who was previously granted an additional year of eligibility after joining a lawsuit against the NCAA in Ohio, is still awaiting approval.
The 24-year-old Rubstavicius had a lengthy professional career, playing in two leagues for four different squads since 2018. He also went through the 2024 NBA draft process but wasn't selected, though he played for the Golden State Warriors summer league team.
His most productive professional season came after going undrafted, as Rubstavicius returned to Lietkabelis Panevėžys, a Lithuanian professional club, for a third stint and averaged 12.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in the EuroCup. In 16 games, he had four performances with at least 15 points, including a pair of 20-point outputs.
Adam Cole is the Auburn athletics beat writer for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached via email at acole@gannett.com or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @colereporter.To support Adam's work, please subscribe to the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Auburn basketball's Mantas Rubstavicius suing NCAA over eligibility