According to former coach Rajko Toroman, Gilas Pilipinas, the Philippine men's national basketball team, is the strongest team in the history of Philippine basketball. Toroman, who started the program over a decade ago, expressed his belief in the team's strength after seeing them play in a closed-door tune-up against Ivory Coast. He praised the team for their size and international exposure, particularly highlighting the contributions of Jordan Clarkson, June Mar Fajardo, and Kai Sotto. However, Toroman also mentioned the need for the team to work on their chemistry before the upcoming FIBA World Cup.

In a separate tune-up match against Montenegro, Jordan Clarkson scored 27 points for Gilas Pilipinas, but Montenegro emerged as the victor with a final score of 102-87. Despite the loss, the team is set to continue their preparations with another tune-up match against Mexico before their World Cup campaign begins.

With the World Cup just around the corner, Gilas Pilipinas will soon have the opportunity to showcase their strength and compete against other national teams from around the world. The team will face the Dominican Republic, Angola, and Italy in their group stage matches. Only time will tell if they can live up to the title of being the strongest team in Philippine basketball history.