Auburn is still waiting on the final word for three offseason additions, and head coach Steven Pearl said Wednesday the program doesn’t have clarity yet on whether all of them will be eligible for the 2026-27 season.
The Tigers are working through the NCAA process with international signees Mantas Rubstavicius and Narcisse Ngoy, while fifth-year guard Kolby King remains tied up in litigation after joining a lawsuit against the NCAA in Ohio in June. Pearl said the hope is to get answers soon.
"All three of those guys, we're hoping to get some sort of answers or clarity within the coming weeks," Pearl said. "Until then, that's really all the updates we have on them."
For now, all three players are on Auburn’s roster and are practicing with the team.
Ngoy, a 7-foot Frenchman, put up big numbers in the French Elite 2 League last season, averaging 10.8 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 70% from the floor. The Los Angeles Clippers used a draft-and-stash pick on him this summer.
Rubstavicius brings a more extensive pro background. He has played in two leagues for four different squads since 2018, went through the 2024 NBA draft process without being selected and also spent time with the Golden State Warriors’ summer league team.
King arrived from Utah State after a senior season there, following a career path that started at St. John’s and included two seasons split between Tulane and Butler.
Pearl said the uncertainty changes how he has to approach roster building, even if he’s optimistic about the outcome.
"I have to go about it as if I'm going to have all those guys eligible, and then if a couple of them or one of them aren't, I've got to be able to pivot and go from there," Pearl said. "That's why we built the team the way we did, to have the depth to be able to withstand not only injuries, but eligibility concerns or what have you.
"I feel good about their situations, but at the end of the day, you really don't know until it's definitive, and we don't have that clarification on any of those guys right now. We still have enough time to obviously pivot if we have to do something differently, but I think we'll know more in the coming weeks."
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