Auburn basketball signee Mantas Rubštavičius will not play for the Tigers this season after he moved to drop his lawsuit against the NCAA, and the man identified as his key recruiter at Auburn is no longer with the program.
Rubštavičius, an international wing from Lithuania, had been trying to win eligibility for the 2024-25 season by asking the court for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction that would let him suit up for Auburn. According to court filings in Lee County Circuit Court, the request was part of an effort to challenge the NCAA’s restrictions and gain permission to compete this season.
The case had a hearing on Oct. 15, where both sides argued before Lee County Circuit Judge Jeff Tickal. Tickal was expected to rule on the TRO before last Thursday, but Rubštavičius’s attorney asked for an extension to file a supplemental brief. There had also been plans to hold the preliminary injunction hearing on Nov. 2, the day Auburn’s 2024-25 season begins.
The dismissal request was filed Monday afternoon.
“Rather than continue with the uncertainty associated with my ongoing lawsuit, I have decided to pursue an opportunity in Europe. I want to thank the Auburn administration, Coach Pearl, and my teammates for all their support during my time here. I wish them all success,” Rubštavičius said in a statement provided to the Opelika-Auburn News.
He added in that statement, “I appreciate the time he spent as part of our Auburn basketball family and wish him nothing but success as he takes this next step in his career. We look forward to following his success both on and off the court.”
That statement was sent by head coach Steven Pearl.
Auburn had three players in the offseason with eligibility issues, Rubštavičius, Marcišse Ngoy from France and Kolby King. Ngoy was granted eligibility in September while King has yet to be fully cleared to play and is involved in an Ohio lawsuit.
The change in Rubštavičius’s situation also came with a shakeup in Auburn’s basketball front office. Brian Kloman, who was hired in March and reportedly played the central role in recruiting Rubštavičius to Auburn, is “no longer employed by Auburn Athletics,” according to a report.
Kloman’s responsibilities included negotiating with contacts at previous stops at Louisville, College of Charleston and Winthrop, evaluating recruits and constructing Auburn’s recruiting schedule. In June, Auburn confirmed that athletic director Brian Kloman was hired after a separate report.
Rubštavičius was Auburn’s first offseason addition with eligibility issues. A hearing in the case was scheduled for Nov. 2, the first day of Auburn basketball’s 2024-25 season. The joint request for dismissal was filed Monday afternoon.
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