By Rotary Club of Lexington – Wheel Horse
April 9, 2020
In mourning over the cancellation of March Madness? We can’t bring it back, but we can bring you an inside look at the UK basketball program from one of the Wildcat’s best.
Among Kentucky’s greatest teams was the 1978 Wildcats, who won the national championship over Duke, 94 to 88, led by Jack Givens’s incredible 41- point performance. That night Jack “Goose” Givens could not miss and Duke had no answer for his smooth jump shot. You will hear from Jack about the championship game, playing for legendary coach Joe Hall, how the college game has changed over the years, and what is was like to play on his hometown team.
Jack was born in Lexington, Kentucky, and attended Bryan Station High School, where he was chosen as Mr. Kentucky Basketball in 1974, his senior season. He went on to a very successful career at the University of Kentucky from 1974 to 1978 and holds a degree in arts and sciences with an emphasis
on business administration.
Jack left UK as the second all-time leading scorer with 2,038 points behind Dan Issel’s 2,138 points and is now third on the all-time points list behind Issel and Kenny Walker. Jack’s biggest game came in the 1978 championship game against Duke, for which he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding
Player!
Jack also enjoyed a seven-year career in professional basketball. As the 14th player chosen in the 1978 NBA draft, he played a few seasons for the Atlanta Hawks and played professional basketball overseas.
Subsequently Jack went on to a public relations career that spans 25 years, wherein he has served as a broadcaster for CBS, ESPN, Turner Sports, The Sunshine Network, and as the voice of the Orlando Magic NBA franchise. In addition, he has worked in the real estate industry, most recently serving as vice-president of real estate at Universal City Properties, developing over 1,800 acres in Orange County, Florida. An accomplished businessman, Jack also owns The Givens Group, a real estate development
company.
Jack now serves as vice-president of business development for The Bowlin Group, LLC, which is based in Walton, Kentucky. The Bowlin Group owns Bowlin Energy, LLC, Bowlin Communications LLC, and Bowlin Services, LLC. The company serves a diverse customer base that includes Duke Energy, LGE/KU, E.ON U.S., Cincinnati Bell, Time Warner Cable, Verizon Wireless, and Owen County Rural Electric Cooperative as well as other co-ops throughout Kentucky.
