Lawrence Tanter (October 11, 1949 – September 23, 2026) was an American public address announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was also the program director for public jazz radio station KKJZ.
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Early life
Tanter was born in Chicago. He played basketball in high school, as well as the saxophone and clarinet. A 6-foot-7-inch (2.01 m) forward, he earned an athletic scholarship to play basketball at the University of Dubuque. He worked at the college radio station after responding to an ad for a host for a Sunday night jazz program.
Professional career
Tanter began working at radio station KJLH in Los Angeles in the 1970s, and drove their quiet storm format.
Tanter began working as the Lakers' public address announcer at the start of the NBA's 1982–83 season and became a fixture at Laker home games. He was the longest tenured Lakers PA announcer. During his tenure behind the microphones of both The Forum and the Crypto.com Arena, Tanter saw the Lakers win 16 NBA Western Conference titles and 10 NBA championships.
When the WWE fought with the Denver Nuggets over an arena booking for a playoff game in 2009, Tanter was recruited as guest ring announcer for the main event of a newly relocated Raw at Staples Center. In the match, five heel (villain) wrestlers in Denver Nuggets jerseys competed against five face (hero) wrestlers in Los Angeles Lakers jerseys, and the Lakers team won. Soon afterward, the Lakers eliminated the Nuggets in the 2009 Western Conference Finals 4–2. They then went on to defeat the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals and capture their 15th NBA title.
Tanter played an instrumental role in re-creating a home feel for Lakers "home" games in the 2020 NBA Bubble, as the league returned to action following a hiatus due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Tanter recorded an array of starting lineup introductions, accounting for potential lineup permutations and team accomplishments, at a home studio in the Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles in July. Matt Shelton, the Lakers' director of game entertainment, then spliced together Tanter's tracks using Adobe Audition editing software. As the Lakers advanced in the postseason, Tanter was a part of the game presentation. The Lakers went on to win their 17th NBA championship.
Tanter is known for his smooth baritone voice and affinity for jazz music. For three decades, he has been a disc jockey for various jazz stations in Los Angeles, including KTWV 94.7 The Wave. Additionally, he served as the announcer for LTV, the Lakers pre/post game show on KCAL-TV, during the Lakers time with that station.
After 43 seasons, Tanter retired from his role as public address announcer for the Lakers at the conclusion of the 2025–26 NBA season, citing health issues, which caused him to miss the remaining six games of that season plus the playoffs. He remained with the Lakers as an advisor focusing on game presentation until his death.