National Basketball Association champion Dwight Howard will suit up for Strong Group this year for the Dubai International Basketball Championship this month.

Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu confirmed the development to DAILY TRIBUNE as the former Los Angeles Laker will be taking his talents to the Philippines for the first time in his career.

Last year, the team was bannered by NBA veterans Nick Young, Renaldo Balkman and Shabazz Muhammad in Dubai along with local stars like Adamson University's Jerom Lastimosa, Justine Baltazar of the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, College of Saint Benilde's Will Gozum and Migs Oczon, Kevin Quiambao of De La Salle University and Francis Lopez of the University of the Philippines.

Strong Group made it as far as the quarterfinal in the tournament but fell to Al Riyadi of Lebanon, 97-107, in the quarterfinal.