Remy Martin has long been lobbying for a spot on the Gilas Pilipinas national team.
A former NCAA Division I standout, Martin has seen that dream move further and further away at times, but he has never given up on it.
Now playing for Strong Group Athletics in the 45th William Jones Cup, Martin hopes the stint will bring him one step closer to finally wearing the Philippine national team jersey.
"I hope one day Gilas gives me the opportunity," Martin said on Friday, Aug. 7, during Strong Group's practice. "I've been watching Gilas since I was young and I always wanted to be on that type of a platform."
"That is a dream come true. That is bigger than making it to the NBA."
The 6-foot Filipino-American guard starred for four years at Arizona State, where he earned All-Pac 12 First Team honors, before transferring to the University of Kansas for his fifth year. He helped Kansas win the NCAA national championship in 2022.
At Arizona State, Martin formed a formidable backcourt with now NBA champion Lu Dort -- who was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason -- creating one of the most defensive-oriented guard pairings in college basketball during the late 2010s.
Martin went undrafted in the NBA before being selected 11th in the second round of the 2022 NBA G League Draft by the Cleveland Charge.
He has since continued his professional career in Iceland before joining Strong Group for the Jones Cup.
Martin has openly embraced his Filipino heritage since his college days, frequently expressing his desire to represent Philippines on the international stage.
He has been part of several national team pools, but a place on the final roster has never materialized.
One obstacle in his pursuit of a Gilas spot was his failure to secure a Philippine passport before turning 16, a requirement under FIBA's eligibility rules for players seeking to represent a country they are connected to through nationality.
That age threshold has since been raised to 18, giving Martin renewed hope of eventually joining Gilas.
"If I had been a dual citizen before 16, we have a strong case for it," Martin said. "I think it's just going through the right people and having people help me push it because there's no reason why I shouldn't have a Gilas uniform."
Martin has never suited up for Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games or Asian Games either, where different nationality rules apply compared to FIBA. Notably, the Asian Games are set to take place next month in Japan.
His Strong Group stint will therefore mark Martin's first time playing for a Philippine-based squad.
Martin, 28, is expected to serve as the floor general for a Strong Group team headlined by nine-year NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic.
He will share the court with Matthew Wright, DJ Fenner, Dave Ildefonso, Tajuan Agee, Malick Diouf, Shaun Ildefonso, William Navarro, Benilde standout Allen Liwag and young Letran guard Titing Manalili.
Strong Group is chasing a third straight Jones Cup championship and will fly to Taiwan on Thursday.
But beyond basketball, Martin is relishing the opportunity to reconnect with the country that has always been part of his identity, as his mother immigrated to the United States before he was born.
"I'm just happy to be in Philippines. This feels like home," Martin said. "I have my family in Tarlac, so I come here almost every year. I get to actually play and represent the country that I've been waiting for since high school. It's been a dream come true to me."
"I'm always grateful to play basketball. But it makes it so much more special now because I get to play for Philippines."