00:00The Los Angeles Lakers lost an iconic member of the franchise, a voice synonymous with their
00:05success over the last 40 years. The team announced late Wednesday night that long-time
00:09public address announcer Lawrence Tantor died at the age of 76. Tantor's smooth, baritone voice
00:16was a staple of Lakers' home games since he joined the franchise in 1982 and before he retired in
00:21June. Known by his initials, LT, Tantor was the longest-tenure PA announcer in team history
00:27and was recognized for a style and delivery for starting lineups, substitutions, fouls,
00:32and score announcements just as much of his longevity. He had many signature introductions
00:37during his 43-season announcing career that spanned from the Forum and Staples Center, now known as
00:42Crypto.com Rita, including how he announced the Laker girls and introduced fellow Lakers icon
00:48Kobe Bryant for 20 years. This included when the Lakers played their first home game after Bryant's
00:53death in January 2020, with Tantor introducing all five Lakers starters as Kobe Bryant, the same way
01:00he did from 1996 through Bryant's retirement in 2016. As the Lakers said, for 43 years, LT's voice served
01:08as a soundtrack to Lakers games at the arena, and that soundtrack will be missed dearly.
