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Strong Group Athletics has tapped former NBA center Boban Marjanovic to strengthen its frontcourt as the club gears up for its quest to capture a third straight William Jones Cup title in Taiwan.
The team officially announced the signing of the 7-foot-4 Serbian veteran on Friday, making him the first confirmed addition to its roster for the prestigious annual tournament.
Club president Jacob Lao believes bringing in Marjanovic is crucial as Strong Group braces for what it expects to be its biggest challenge yet.
“We’re building the best team possible because we know this will be the toughest William Jones Cup yet,” Lao said.
Phoenix coach Charles Tiu, who will once again call the shots for Strong Group in the tournament, revealed that discussions with Marjanovic had been ongoing before both sides finalized the agreement.
“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, and 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,” Tiu said.
Marjanovic recently suited up for Ilirija in the Slovenian league before agreeing to a short-term stint with Strong Group for the Jones Cup.
A three-time Serbian League Most Valuable Player, Marjanovic spent nine seasons in the NBA, where he became a fan favorite for his personality and presence despite playing a limited role for several teams.
One of his most memorable stretches came during the 2021 NBA Playoffs with the Dallas Mavericks, when he teamed up with Luka Doncic and averaged 11.3 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assist per game.
This year’s Jones Cup will feature a new competition format, with participating teams split into two groups during the preliminary stage.
Strong Group was placed in Group A, where it will face Chinese Taipei Blue, along with teams from Japan and South Korea, as it begins its pursuit of another championship.