Lakers fans are going to miss Lawrence Tanter

You may not know his name.You may not know his face. But you know his voice. If you’re a Lakers fan, you’ve likely heard longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter, who died at age 76. Tanter was a huge part of the in-game experience. His smooth, silky baritone voice echoed throughout the arena for 43 years before he suffered a stroke in March and moved into an advisory role in June. The way he said each player’s name.

The way he said Lakers girls.The way his voice became part of the tapestry of Los Angeles. Tanter was behind the scenes but front and center. He was 6-foot-7 but in the shadows.

He had been part of the Lakers’ organization since 1982 but was unrecognizable to most. But his impact was deeply felt. Tanter was a part of 10 Lakers championships.He made calls for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James and Luka Doncic.After his death, current and former Lakers took to X to write tributes. Johnson called him “the sound of the Lakers franchise,” adding that he was “an integral part of many Laker championships, right alongside us players.”James added that he “made home games SPECIAL.”Former Laker and current radio analyst Mychal Thompson said, “Maybe God’ll use LT’s voice to announce new arrivals to heaven.”Tanter had a way of not only making games feel special but also making people feel special. Behind the scenes in the media room at Crypto.com Arena, he was a friendly face with a warm smile.

He greeted reporters, including once telling this writer that he liked the way she carried herself.It meant a lot to her. Flea, the bassist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers and a Lakers super fan, wrote on X that Tanter always talked to him about jazz at games. Flea added that he’s “a great vibe dude” as well as “the best announcer in the NBA.”He was kind.

He cared deeply about his work.And he had the respect of everyone in the arena. James, who’s arguably the greatest player of all time...