STRONG GROUP TAPS BOBAN MARJANOVIĆ FOR JONES CUP 'THREE-PEAT' BID
Strong Group-Pilipinas has landed one of its biggest reinforcements yet in its quest for a historic third straight William Jones Cup crown, securing the services of former NBA center Boban Marjanović for the prestigious regional tournament set from August 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
The 7-foot-4 Serbian veteran will anchor the Philippine representatives as they brace for what Strong Group president Jacob Lao believes will be the toughest edition of the Jones Cup in recent years.
"We're building the best team possible because we know this will be the toughest William Jones Cup yet," said Lao.
"Every participating country is expected to bring in quality lineups, so we want to make sure we're prepared for that challenge. Bringing in a player like Boban gives us a tremendous presence on both ends of the floor, and we're excited to have him represent Strong Group-Pilipinas."
Marjanović enjoyed a nine-year NBA career from 2015 to 2024, suiting up for the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.
Before making his way to the NBA, the Serbian giant established himself as one of Europe's premier big men, winning three Serbian League MVP awards. He has also been a longtime fixture of the Serbian national team, representing his country in several FIBA competitions.
Long-time Strong Group coach Charles Tiu revealed that talks with Marjanović had been ongoing for some time and expressed confidence that the veteran center is fully committed to the campaign.
"Excited on getting Boban to agree to play for us. We've been having some good talks, he's in shape and serious about this tournament, he's preparing back home even before he flies out here. We've already talked a bit about basketball and our plans. Great and funny guy too," said Tiu.
Marjanović's addition further strengthens a Strong Group squad seeking to complete a rare "three-peat" in one of Asia's longest-running invitational tournaments.
The rest of the roster is still being finalized as the team continues to assemble its lineup ahead of the competition.
Strong Group-Pilipinas has been drawn into Group A, where it will face Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan in the preliminary round.
