The Lakers’ longtime public address announcer Lawrence Tanter died Wednesday, the team announced. He was 76.
Remembered for his smooth, baritone voice, Tanter served as the voice of the Lakers for more than four decades. Tanter narrated chapters of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James and now Luka Doncic. After a stroke suffered in March forced him to retire from his game day role, he transitioned to an advisory role in June.
“For 43 years, LT’s voice served as the soundtrack to Lakers games at the arena,” the team said in a statement Wednesday. “He will be remembered as a cherished member of the Lakers family.”
Tanter started with the team in 1982 when the Lakers played in the Forum. His signature calls — “toooo many steps,” “Kobeee Bryant,” “Lllaker Girlsss” — were not boastful or over the top. For a franchise that came to embody old Hollywood glamour, Tanter’s voice became the ideal soundtrack.
“A true original that added his unique style to Showtime,” Lakers governor Jeanie Buss wrote on X on Tuesday. “Rest in peace, LT.”
He backed fans up as they celebrated 10 championships during his tenure. He offered comfort in other, painful times.
Days after Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020, Tanter guided a sold out crowd through a tearful pregame routine, introducing all five of the Lakers’ starters with a familiar call: “Number 24, 6-6, 20th year out of Lower Merion High School, Kobeeee Bryant.”
The 6-foot-7 Tanter towered over many, but greeted everyone with a kind smile and warm conversation. Just as the players he serenaded with his calls became institutions in the sport, so did he. Tanter was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcaster Hall of Fame.
“I hope the team wears an LT patch this season,” former Lakers center and current team broadcaster Mychal Thompson wrote on X on Tuesday.
“He was a great vibe dude, always engaged me in conversation about jazz, he was a music lover and the best announcer in the NBA,” Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist and longtime Lakers fan Flea wrote on X. “I realized when attending many other NBA arenas that no one else came close.”
While many in his profession brought energy with loud, hyped up calls, Tanter held firm with his cool style. He “never tried to be a cheerleader,” Tanter told The Times’ Bill Plaschke in June.
“It’s been a great run,” Tanter said after announcing his retirement. “I’ve been blessed.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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