SGA-bound Chris McCullough. Photo handout/SGA.MANILA — Former San Miguel Beermen reinforcement Chris McCullough is set to return to the Philippines.

The PBA champion import will be playing for Strong Group Athletics in the upcoming 43rd William Jones Cup in July, the team announced on Tuesday.

"After so many years, it's truly surreal to be returning to the country. Even though it's just for a short while, the experience of flying back, training, and being in the Philippines again is going to be amazing," said McCullough, who will be returning to the country for the first time since the 2019 PBA Commissioner's Cup where they won the championship.

"Not only is it exciting, but I'm also grateful for the opportunity. I'm representing the Philippines, and this is essentially like a job interview for me, as other teams will see me perform," he added, talking about how other teams can see him play yet again.

After his PBA stint, McCullough went on to play in different leagues in Asia, Europe, and South America.

But now that he will have the chance to represent the country in the international basketball scene, SGA president Jacob Lao cannot wait to see it come to fruition.

“Hearing the clamor of fans for Chris McCullough in the Philippines is truly heartening, and it's something we've been keenly aware of for quite some time now. His arrival here is not just timely,” the former Ateneo Blue Eagle said.

“It's the culmination of a journey eagerly anticipated by fans. We couldn't be more thrilled to witness the impact he'll undoubtedly make."

Meanwhile, SGA head coach Charles Tiu said he is excited to have McCullough on board for the team who will be competing from July 13 to 21 in Taipei.

"Chris McCullough has been on our radar for a while. Boss Jacob has been urging me to recruit him for some time, and I'm thrilled that he'll finally be playing for us. He's a winner and a force on offense. It was a no-brainer for us to bring him on board," said Tiu.

"I also want to give a shoutout to Chris Ross for assisting in connecting us."

McCullough will be joining Kiefer Ravena, Jordan Heading, and Caelan Tiongson as SGA’s roster continues to take shape.