LOS ANGELES — Lawrence Tanter, the voice of Lakers basketball inside The Forum and Crypto.com Arena for 43 years as the franchise’s longtime public address announcer, has died, the Lakers announced late Wednesday night.
Read more Beckman girls flag football hands Mission Viejo its first loss in thriller
Tanter was 76 years old, and served in the role as the team’s public address announcer since 1982. The cause of his death was not released Wednesday night.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of legendary Lakers public address announcer Lawrence Tanter,” the team said in a statement released on Wednesday night. “For 43 years, LT’s voice served as the soundtrack to Lakers games at the arena. He will be remembered as a cherished member of the Lakers family.”
Tanter had recently transitioned in June to a role as “Special Advisor of Game Presentation,” for the Lakers ahead of the 2026-27 season, after having had to step away midseason in March after suffering a stroke, a source told the Southern California News Group then. He never returned to the microphone following his stroke, and he was set to help shape the gameday experience at Lakers games into the future in his new role, which coincided with his retirement as the PA announcer.
The Lakers have yet to announce Tanter’s replacement.
“He’s an iconic voice,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said on March 27 after the Lakers announced Tanter was recovering from a health matter. “There’s just, there’s like, it’s almost a comfort level with him being in this arena.”
Tanter not being behind the microphone was an anomaly at Crypto.com Arena, previously known as Staples Center. For 20 consecutive years – or more than 800 games – he showed up and announced games from his courtside position, before a bout of sickness led him to miss a game in 2018.
Gifted with a baritone voice that also played on jazz radio (most notably on 94.7 FM/KTWV in Los Angeles), Tanter became synonymous with the Lakers during the team’s “Showtime” Era and through the franchise’s extended period of success with the teams led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Tanter served as a program director at multiple different jazz radio stations during his career as the longest-tenured Lakers PA announcer.
Read more Shohei Ohtani looks healthy in return, but Dodgers lose to Padres
Tanter recorded player intros from his home studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, bringing a sense of normalcy to the gameday experience in the Orlando bubble, where the Lakers won the 2020 NBA title. He was known for his pronunciations of “Laker girlllsss” and his signature “Kobe Bryant” often with a prolonged drawl on the “e” coming after big plays from the late franchise icon. After traveling violations, Tanter would state, “too many steps” exactly and without a mocking tone that many modern-day public address announcers carry with their voice.
Large in size at 6-foot-7 – enough to earn a college scholarship to play basketball for the University of Dubuque in Iowa – but known for his kind demeanor that had employees and press alike fawning over him in the media workroom, Tanter left his mark on the franchise.
The Lakers won 16 Western Conference titles and 10 NBA championships with Tanter behind the mic.
“A true original that added his unique style to Showtime,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss wrote Wednesday night on X. “Rest in peace, LT.”
From Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaq and Kobe to LeBron James and now Luka Doncic, the Lakers have had many stars.
Read more Walbert Ureña struggles, Mike Trout homers as Angels fall to A’s for 98th loss
But one man was part of the soundtrack to games featuring all of them.