There’s something about Brgy. Ginebra that goes beyond stats, trophies, or the players who wear the jersey. To love Ginebra is to feel part of a family, to share memories that span decades, and to believe in the famous “Never Say Die” spirit.
The Gin Kings are more than just a PBA team, it’s a true love letter to those who bleed red as part of the one Ginebra nation.
The roots of Ginebra’s bond with fans run deep, as head coach Tim Cone points out.
Despite his own legacy, part of it being once a major rival to Brgy. Ginebra, coach Tim is quick to say that Ginebra’s magic began long before he joined, even as he’s led the team to seven PBA titles, almost half of the franchise’s total.
“It’s certainly not me. It’s been that way since the Jaworski years. Sonny Jaworski built something unforgettable. Ever since then, it’s been everybody’s dream to play for Ginebra just because of the fanbase. It just elevates you to a whole new level.”
As a coach, Cone’s words speak to the heart of what it means to play for Ginebra, where the fans are just as much part of the team as the players themselves.
“I’m not surprised when players say that [their dream team is Ginebra]. I know it’s not because of anything that I have done… It’s just because of its past and all the glory that Sonny Jaworski brought to the team,” Cone reflected.
“You know what they say: it’s more fun in the Philippines? It’s more fun in Ginebra.”
(Coach Tim was once a major Ginebra rival, now he has almost half of the Gin Kings' PBA titles)
Justin Brownlee, Ginebra’s resident super import and (current) six-time champion, mirrors this sentiment.
Brownlee knows that Ginebra’s bond with the fans runs back to Jaworski’s days that started all the way back in the mid 1980s, with a legacy that’s been handed down like a torch from one generation to the next:
“I think, maybe, the culture that has been built… Way back Jaworski days, giving that NSD spirit to the T and the way that it has been passed on throughout the years… You can feel it, with the fans, at the games, with the energy in the crowd.”
It’s that NSD spirit that gives Ginebra its timeless quality—where the team and its fans are bound by the belief that no game is ever truly over until the last buzzer.
Even for team veterans like Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, they still feel the weight of history when they put on that Ginebra jersey.
For the seasoned players, playing for Ginebra is about honoring a legacy.
“‘Yung history na ginawa niya [Jaworski], nagtuloy-tuloy hanggang dito. It’s an honor and a privilege… hindi ka lang naglalaro para sa sarili mo but all the people around, who supported Ginebra. Talagang malaki dinadala mo every game kapag suot mo yung Ginebra jersey,” Thompson said.
“It's a really special place - Ginebra. Marami ka ring fans na nai-inspire,” Japeth also mentions. And that pride carries over to the fans.
(Scottie Thompson is one of only four Gin Kings to win PBA MVP)
Bong, a Ginebra fan since 2011, shared that his journey with Ginebra began with a single game—Petron vs. Ginebra, where JJ Helterbrand sank a game-winner that ignited something in him.
“First PBA game ko ‘to na pinanood sa TV, so I was like, this is nice, I’m going to root for them. After nun, immediately, nagpabili ako sa tatay ko ng Ginebra jersey. Ever since then sinubaybayan ko na sila.”
Since that moment, Bong has been all in for Ginebra, but his core memories with the team do not stop there.
Justin Brownlee’s iconic buzzer-beater in the 2016 Governors’ Cup, a shot that not only sealed the championship for Ginebra against Meralco, but also broke the Gin Kings’ eight-year title drought, is an obvious favorite.
“I’m getting chills just thinking about it because every time I watch Ginebra at home, it will always be a family thing, and without fail, my dad would be nonchalant watching the action,” he recalled.
“For the first time ever, I saw my dad jump out of his couch and I can hear ‘yung buong street namin scream at the exact moment where my dad left off. That was the first time a legit city united because of one shot. Because of Justin Brownlee… that’s the one moment that made me feel so good about being a Ginebra fan.”
To be a Ginebra fan is to believe in the underdog spirit, to see yourself in a team that fights through every setback. Bong says it the best.
“They’re just so relatable, as underdogs. They’re always underdogs kahit sabihin mong super teams sila, they’re always underdogs kasi you got players like Scottie na hindi naman talaga star when he was going up. They [have] a humble import in Justin Brownlee,” he said.
“They're also relatable in a sense na fans would feel good about rooting for them because they’re a Filipino team. They're such a Filipino-oriented team.”
The underdog identity, the one that draws in fans from every corner of the league, is what makes Ginebra so loved.
Coach Tim sees it in every new player who dreams of joining the team, players who grew up rooting for the NSD squad alongside their friends and relatives.
“You grow up as a Ginebra fan, you wanna play for Ginebra. They built the fanbase, it’s generational. I mean, their dads were Ginebra fans, their moms were Ginebra fans, their grandparents were even Ginebra fans.”
From parents passing down Ginebra jerseys to their kids, to neighbors bonding over every last-second shot, the spirit of Ginebra is one of family.
This team has built a legacy that speaks to the soul of Philippine basketball, a place where anyone—fan, player, coach—can feel at home.
It’s a love that spans generations. It isn’t just a team, it’s a family, a dream, a love letter to every fan who roots for them, game after game, year after year. And that, in itself, is special.