The PBA Governors’ Cup import picture is getting clearer as two new names—Justin Strings and Jalen Hudson—are stepping into the spotlight.
Hudson, who’s actually a returnee to the PBA, will be reinforcing the Converge FiberXers. Strings, a certified newbie, will be playing for the Terrafirma Dyip.
Justin Strings Brings Size and Scoring to Terrafirma
Justin Strings, listed at 6-foot-7, brings in a burly, physical play style and is productive while willing to do the unglamorous work that wins games.
The 29-year-old out Sacramento State went undrafted out of college and has since become well-traveled, building a résumé across multiple continents with eventful stops in Germany, Luxembourg, Argentina, Canada, and Uruguay. Throughout his various stints overseas, he has steadily developed into a reliable scoring and rebounding presence everywhere he has played. His most recent stint was with Goes Montevideo in the Uruguayan league, where he had arguably his most productive stine, putting up 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.8 blocks on 50.2% shooting overall across 17 games.
At Sacramento State, Strings was capable of putting up special numbers. Case in point, he once scored 34 points on 16-for-17 shooting from two-point range, a display of finishing efficiency that hints at what he can bring when everything clicks. He is not a flashy player but is certainly a productive one. And in a league where the interior matchup often determines outcomes, Terrafirma is betting Strings can give them an advantage they have lacked.
Jalen Hudson Returns—Now Wearing Converge Colors
There is some irony involved in Jalen Hudson’s return to the PBA.
The 6-foot-5 guard from Akron, Ohio last played in the league in the 2023 Governors’ Cup—for the TNT Tropang 5G. His most memorable performance? A 56-point eruption against the Converge FiberXers in a 128-122 TNT win that ended Converge’s unbeaten start to the conference. He shot 21-for-31, made six three-pointers, grabbed 12 rebounds, and dished 4 assists. It was the kind of dominant showing that assures an extended stay in the PBA. A game later, TNT replaced him with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson despite averaging 33.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks across six games overall and five wins.
Now, three years later, Hudson plays for the team he once torched.
After his PBA stint in 2023, Jalen Hudson signed with Pallacanestro Trieste in Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A, before most recently playing for Yukatel Merkezefendi in Turkey’s Basketbol Süper Ligi. The Turkish league experience adds another layer of professional seasoning to a career that has already taken Hudson through Israel, Greece, Germany, and the Philippines.
At his best, Jalen Hudson is a volume scorer who creates his own shot off the dribble, shoots with range and confidence from three, and brings enough athleticism to defend on the perimeter. Importantly, the FiberXers are bringing in a player who has already proven he can carry a team in this league. The fact that he once did it against them makes the signing an even more pointed statement of intent.
Two imports, Justin Strings and Jalen Hudson. Two different profiles. The Governors’ Cup is getting interesting.
