LOS ANGELES—The announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers, Lawrence Tanter has died at the age of 76 on Wednesday, September 23. An official cause of death has not been announced. Tanter worked for the organization for four decades and was known as the “Voice of the Lakers” during his tenure.
He was born on October 11, 1949, in Chicago, Illinois, where he grew up with a basketball culture. At 6 feet and 7 inches tall, he earned a basketball scholarship to attend the University of Dubuque. Tanter soon learned that his true calling was his voice in front of the microphone. He started off in radio, getting hired by the Lakers in 1982.
He stayed with the franchise for 43 years being a part of every Lakers golden era. Tanter was a part of the organization for the Showtime Lakers, a 3-peat team led by Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, as well as back-to-back championships involving Bryant and LeBron James.
The longevity was shown as well working every Lakers game between 1997 through 2018 without a day off. After the 2025-26 season, Tanter announced his retirement after missing time due to health issues and he transitioned from announcer to an advisor role. Tanter had a one-of-a-kind voice and will be remembered in LA and Lakers culture forever.
