Controversies

Over the last few years, Ginebra has been involved in several incidents involving players and the team itself.

• Jaworski and Fernandez, two former Toyota teammates, engaged in a well-publicized feud in 1984. Apparently, Toyota's players were sold to new team Beer Hausen. Jaworski, in utter defiance, refused to play for Beer Hausen and joined Ginebra. The franchise sell out was the final straw in the 2 year silent feud of Jaworski and Fernandez within Toyota. It finally exploded into a full out war between the two. However, in the 1989 All-Star Game, Jaworski and Fernandez were teammates for the Veterans. In the final seconds, with the game tied, Jaworski's pass to Fernandez led to the Veterans escaping a 132-130 win against the Rookies-Sophomores-Juniors team in the inaugural All-Star Game. Afterwards, Jawo and Fernadez shook hands to the delight of the capacity crowd at ULTRA, now PhilSports Arena, which signalled the reconcillation between the two legends.
• On May 15, 1990, Shell defeated Anejo Rhum 4-2 to win the 1990 PBA 1st Conference title. However, it sparked a controversy in the sixth and final game of the series when the whole Anejo team walked out with still 2:52 left in the second quarter in favor of the Zoom Masters. Back-to-back technical fouls were slapped by referee Rudy Hines on Rey Cuenco led to the walkout, as loyal Anejo fans peltered the court with debris. Coach Robert Jaworski and team manager Ber Navarro refused to return back to the playing court, which to the forfeiture of the match, and the championship to Shell. Two days later, the league fined Anejo a whopping 550,000 pesos, the biggest in league history. It was the second time that a forfeiture happened in a PBA Finals series since Crispa in Game four of the 1975 series against rival Toyota.
• Robert Jaworski resigned as player-coach of the team after the 1998 due to misunderstandings with the new management of San Miguel Corporation. It is claimed that the newly-elected Senator was frustrated over the company's acquisition of Allan Caidic as the new assistant-playing coach from San Miguel without a prior notice from the famed coach.
• On May 17, 1999, a bench-clearing brawl ensured during Game two of the All-Filipino Cup semi-finals series against Formula Shell. A total of 235,000 pesos was slapped on 16 players and one official from both teams. Shell's Jay Mendoza was fined 40,000 pesos, while Ginebra players Noli Locsin, Elmer Lago, Cris Bolado and Boy Valera were fined 20,000 each.
• Ginebra fans are known for peltering debris whenever they felt that officiating was poor. It was joked by many that the coins that the fans threw are collected by the referees. However, it is somewhat rare to see such incidents these days due to either proper security measures, especially at the privately-owned Araneta Coliseum or the poor attendance that the league has been suffering.
• In the 2005 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, Barangay Ginebra was awarded the winner of the first game of the series, after Finals opponent Talk N' Text Phone Pals fielded suspended cager Asi Taulava. With documents of his Filipino blood still questionable, the Phone Pals used the 6-9 center in their convincing double-digit victory. The Kings filed a protest prior to the start of the game. Two days later, PBA Commissioner Noli Eala announced the forfeiture of Talk N' Text's Game one victory