Jones Cup: 224cm former NBA center Boban Marjanovic to play for Philippines' Strong Group Athletics

The upcoming William Jones Cup basketball tournament will feature a towering presence as former NBA center Boban Marjanovic is set to join the Philippines' Strong Group Athletics team. Standing at an imposing 224 centimeters (7 feet 4 inches), the Serbian "giant" will bolster the team's efforts to secure a third consecutive championship title.

Marjanovic, 37, brings a wealth of experience from his nine-season NBA career, where he played for teams including the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, and Philadelphia 76ers. In his NBA tenure, he appeared in 331 games, averaging 5.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per contest. Most recently, he played for Perspektiva Ilirija in Slovenia during the 2025-26 season, posting strong numbers in the ABA League with 13.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

Jacob Lao, president of Strong Group, emphasized Marjanovic's significance in their quest for another title. "Signing Boban is a crucial step in building the strongest roster to contend for the championship," Lao stated. He anticipates a highly competitive tournament, with participating national teams expected to field strong lineups. "We know this year's William Jones Cup will be the most competitive ever," Lao added, "so we want to be fully prepared to meet this challenge. A player like Boban can have a huge impact on both ends of the court, and we are very happy he will represent Strong Group-Pilipinas."

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Signing Boban is a crucial step in building the strongest roster to contend for the championship. We know this year's William Jones Cup will be the most competitive ever, so we want to be fully prepared to meet this challenge. A player like Boban can have a huge impact on both ends of the court, and we are very happy he will represent Strong Group-Pilipinas.

Philippine team head coach Chot Reyes confirmed that Marjanovic has been preparing for the tournament for weeks and is expected to arrive in peak condition. "We have had many pleasant conversations, and he is in great shape and takes this tournament very seriously," Reyes said. "He is not only an excellent player but also a very humorous and interesting person."

The Philippines team, drawn in Group A, will face Chinese Taipei Blue, South Korea, and Japan in the preliminary round. The men's competition is scheduled to take place from August 13 to 23 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.

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We have had many pleasant conversations, and he is in great shape and takes this tournament very seriously. He is not only an excellent player but also a very humorous and interesting person.