It's been a waiting game for the pair of international players on Auburn basketball's roster when it comes to eligibility. French big man Narcisse Ngoy was finally cleared by the NCAA last week, gaining two years of eligibility with the Tigers.
For Lithuanian wing Mantas Rubstavicius, things have grown more complicated. According to Auburn 247, Rubstavicius has entered into a lawsuit against the NCAA in Alabama court in an attempt to gain eligibility for the upcoming season. He also filed a temporary restraining order this week.
With this latest development, it seems that the NCAA was not ready to clear Rubstavicius to play.
"We are aware of the court filing made by Mantas Rubštavičius and have informed both the SEC and NCAA," an Auburn basketball spokesperson said a statement Wednesday, per Auburn 247. "Auburn supports Mantas' right to seek clarity regarding his eligibility through the legal process. Auburn also continues to fully support the SEC's recent rule on former professionals returning to college sports, which we do not believe is implicated in any way under Mantas' alleged facts."
Earlier this summer, head coach Steven Pearl indicated that Auburn would push to have the international players cleared should they run into trouble with the NCAA.
"We're going through the process of cooperating with the NCAA," Pearl said. "... We are exhausting all of our options with the NCAA first because we would like them to be cleared organically through the process, like they had been for years prior. If it gets to a point where they're ultimately denied ... just me thinking out loud, the fact that we've put this much time and effort into it, I feel comfortable that we're going to do everything we have to do to try and get these guys cleared."
However, Pearl also stated at Thursday's Pro Day that Auburn basketball would only be playing guys with clearance.
“We will only play guys that are cleared through the NCAA because, to my understanding, that’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re not allowed to play players that haven’t been given clearance on their eligibility,” Pearl said, per AL.com.
The Tigers, with the newly cleared Ngoy, will face Florida State in their first exhibition game in the Ballin' in Boutwell event in Birmingham. Auburn will take part in "The Feud" exhibition game against Alabama also in Birmingham next week, and then a final exhibition game against Samford on the Plains. The official season will begin on November 4 when the Tigers host Southeastern Louisiana at Neville Arena.
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