By MARK REY MONTEJO
Strong Group Athletics got a huge boost with the addition of former NBA and Serbia national team center Boban Marjanovic for the 2026 Jones Cup set from Aug. 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium in Taiwan.
Marjanovic, 37, will reinforce the reigning champions as SGA aims for a rare three-peat Jones Cup title against some of the top teams in Asia.
Before making his way to the NBA, Marjanovic starred in Europe, especially in his home country of Serbia, where he won the league’s Most Valuable Player award three times.
From 2015 to 2024, the 7-foot-4 center played for the San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets. He also had brief stints with the Austin Spurs in the NBA G League.
After his NBA career, Marjanovic continued playing overseas, suiting up for clubs in China, Turkey, and Slovenia.
Strong Group Athletics, coached by Charles Tiu, is in Group A, where it will face Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan.
