Strong Group-Pilipinas Taps Boban Marjanović for William Jones Cup
Strong Group-Pilipinas has landed one of its biggest reinforcements yet, signing former NBA center Boban Marjanović for the 2026 William Jones Cup in Taiwan.
The 7-foot-4 Serbian veteran will suit up for Strong Group as it looks to complete a historic three-peat in the tournament, which runs from August 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
A Proven Veteran Joins the Three-Peat Bid
Marjanović spent nine seasons in the NBA from 2015 to 2024, playing for the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets.
Before making the jump to the NBA, he established himself as one of Europe’s top centers, winning three Serbian League MVP awards while becoming a mainstay of Serbia’s national team in international competitions.
Strong Group president Jacob
Lao believes adding a player of Marjanović’s caliber will be crucial with the level of competition expected in this year’s Jones Cup.
“We’re building the best team possible because we know this will be the toughest William Jones Cup yet,” Lao said.
“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.”
Ready for the Challenge
Head coach Charles Tiu said discussions with Marjanović had been ongoing and shared that the veteran center has already begun preparing for the tournament.
“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,” Tiu said.
“We’ve already talked a bit about basketball and our plans. Great and funny guy too.”
Strong Group-Pilipinas has been drawn into Group A, where it will face Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan in the preliminary round as it chases a third straight Jones Cup championship.
