The LA Lakers have seen legends on the court come and go over the last four decades. But one legend constantly remained behind the microphone. Now, as the franchise enters a fresh new season, it will bid farewell to the iconic voice that kept the Lake Show game-night experience alive. 

Following a reported medical complication, the organization announced a major role transition for longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter. For more than 43 seasons, Tanter, 76, has lent his voice to Lakers home games, introducing players, announcing buckets, and calling some of the biggest moments for fans. That era has now come to an end.

The Lakers announced Tuesday in a press release that Lawrence Tanter will retire from his PA announcing duties after 43 seasons. However, his journey with the franchise will continue. LT will transition into a special-advisor role, where he will design the Lakers’ game presentation going forward. 

The press release also carried Lakers governor Jeanie Buss’ reflection on Tanter’s commitment to the franchise. “Since the 1980s, LT has narrated every chapter of Lakers basketball, connecting generations of fans, players, coaches, and staff while becoming a trusted and unforgettable part of the Lakers’ experience. I am incredibly grateful for everything he has given to this franchise,” Buss said.

Notably, the organization didn’t mention any health concerns as the reason behind the transition. However, ESPN reported that Tanter suffered a stroke in March. A major setback in LT’s career left him to miss the last 6 regular-season home games and the postseason. 

Now, after spending more than four decades behind the microphone, Tanter will prepare for a different role within the organization. 

The Lakers have yet to name a permanent replacement for Tanter. However, according to ESPN, Lakers G League affiliate PA announcer Jason Barquero handled the duties in LT’s absence at the end of the season. 

Whether the organization will stick with Barquero or hunt for another iconic voice remains unknown. But LT has left a massive void in the Lakers’ basketball experience. 

From radio booths to Lakers immortality

Long before the fans associated LT’s voice with the Lakers’ basketball, Lawrence Tanter was building a career in radio. The Chicago native arrived in Los Angeles with two passions. One of basketball and the other of jazz music. He spent years shaping the city’s radio space and catered to a sophisticated jazz audience.

His life took a U-turn in the early 1980s when the Lakers called him up! 

He auditioned for the PA announcer role for one game. That was all it took. The organization handed him the job, and the rest was history.

Speaking of which, he told, “They called me up and said I had the gig. I was like, ‘Woah, really?’ It was Magic’s third year, Worthy was a rookie, Kareem, Cooper, and that whole crew. It was a dream come true.”

Following that, Tanter had a relentless run as a PA announcer for 4 decades, announcing 10 championships, 16 Western Conference titles, and many iconic moments. Notably, after the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant in 2020, LT made a special tribute. In the first Lakers home game after the incident, he announced every single starter after Bryant’s name. 

“6-6, 20th year out of Lower Merion High School, Kob-eeeeee Bryant!”

Tanter’s voice carried a smoothness that has formed an unbreakable familiarity with the fans. During the NBA bubble in 2020, Tanter recorded the player introductions in his home studio, recreating the familiar atmosphere during tough times. 

Now that Tanter is moving into an advisory role, the team has the Herculean task of replacing him. The organization can easily find a replacement, but it can’t replace the voice that has traveled with the fans for over four decades.