Over the last four decades, the Lakers’ game did not truly begin until Lawrence Tanter’s voice filled the arena. After 43 seasons behind the microphone, the legendary public announcer had already stepped away from his familiar courtside role earlier this year. Now, only months after that retirement, the Lakers are mourning Tanter’s passing at 76.
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It brought an emotional end to one of the franchise’s most enduring voices.
Lakers Governor Jeanie was among those to pay tribute to Tanter after the organization announced his passing. Reposting the Lakers’ statement on X, Buss wrote, “A true original that added his unique style to Showtime. Rest in peace, LT.”
The message was brief, but the “unique style” captured precisely what made Lawrence Tanter stand out. He carried an original style among the countless voices that have occupied NBA arenas. His intention was never to steal the show. His smooth delivery became part of the Lakers’ identity.
All because he understood that the players, not the announcer, should command the room.
Tanter joined the Lakers in 1982. He remained with the franchise through the Showtime era, the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal years, and the LeBron James era.
He ultimately became the longest-tenured public address announcer in the franchise’s history. In his own voice, he has called the Lakers’ 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles.
Despite being part of 10 championship runs, Tanter never seemed interested in making the moment about himself. He famously refused to wear the championship rings he accumulated during his tenure.
“I would never wear one of those rings. A little bit too ostentatious for me. Not my style,” he said in a 2019 interview. That understated approach said something Tanter.
His “unique” style, which he referred to as “little flavor,” came partly from another side of his career.
Lawrence Tanter also worked as a jazz radio DJ in Los Angeles, and that musical background shaped the measured, singing-like announcements at the Lakers’ home games.
Rather than adopting the screaming, crowd-hyping approach among other PA announcers, he leaned into his own craft.
Notably, nothing captured that better than his signature “Llllaker Girlsss” call.
The phrase became an unmistakable part of the Lakers’ game presentation. But Tanter’s influence extended far beyond that phrase. His voice narrated decades of lineups, milestones, and championship nights, giving fans a sense of familiarity.
Moreover, that unshakable familiarity withstood the global pandemic.
Lawrence Tanter couldn’t travel to Orlando when the league resumed play during the COVID-19 pandemic, but still found a way to remain part of the Lakers’ home-game experience. From his home studio in LA, he recorded necessary announcements that the team could incorporate into the artificial arena environment.
The Lakers eventually won their 17th championship, and Tanter’s voice remained part of the presentation from thousands of miles away.
His final months with the Lakers had already carried a sense of closure. Tanter suffered a stroke in March and missed the last six home games as well as the playoffs. In June, the Lakers announced that he would retire from his position after 43 seasons. He would transition into a special advisor role for game presentation.
That made the news of his passing especially significant for a franchise that had only begun preparing for games without him.
From Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Bryant, James, and Luka Doncic, Tanter connected different generations.
Now that voice is gone.
For Buss and the Lakers, Tanter’s passing closes a remarkable chapter that began in the Showtime era and continued through some of the franchise’s most important moments.
His passing marks the end of his presence, but not the sound he left behind in Lakers’ history.