AUBURN, Ala. – Steven Pearl has rounded out his 2026-27 roster by landing a top European talent with the signing of Mantas Rubštavičius from Panevezys, Lithuania.
A 6-foot-6 guard, Rubštavičius joins the Tigers via Žalgiris Kaunas, which is the premier club of the Lithuanian Basketball League. He averaged 7.8 ppg, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists this season in helping Žalgiris Kaunas finish 31-1 overall.
“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.”
Rubštavičius signed with Žalgiris Kaunas in 2018 and has spent the last eight years 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.
In 2024, he returned to Žalgiris Kaunas and was loaned to Lietkabelis where he averaged 13.8 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He returned to the main club of Žalgiris in 2025.
Rubštavičius also has extensive experience representing his country on the national stage, having played for the Lithuanian National Team at the U16, U19 and U20 levels. He debuted for the Lithuania men’s national team in February of 2023.
In the 2022 FIBA U20 European Championship, Rubštavičius averaged 19.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, highlighted by a record-setting 38-point performance against France in the quarterfinals. Rubštavičius was the top scorer of that tournament and earned All-Tournament Team honors.
“Mantas embodies the qualities we prioritize in our program – skill, toughness, competitiveness and character. His international experience, winning mentality and a commitment to team success makes him an outstanding addition to our family and we are excited to see the impact he will have both on and off the court.
Rubštavičius rounds out an impressive signing class for Pearl and the Tigers. Below is a full list of 2026-27 signees:
2026-27 Signees:
Narcisse Ngoy – C – 7’0’’ – France/Union Poitiers Basket 86
Bukky Oboye – F/C – 7’1’’ – Houston Texas/Santa Clara
Adam Olsen – G/F – 6’8’’ – Surrey, B.C., Canada/South Alabama
Owen Freeman – F – 6’10’’ – Moline, Ill./Iowa/Creighton
Thomas Dowd – F – 6’8’’ – Dothan, Ala./Troy
George Kimble III – G – 6’2’’ – Tampa, Fla./Eckerd/EKU/Vanderbilt
Mantas Rubštavičius – G – 6’6’’ – Panevezys, Lithuania/ Žalgiris Kaunas
Caleb Williams – G – 6’5’’ – Tampa, Fla./Specially Fit Academy (incoming freshman)