LeBron James remembered Lawrence Tanter on Thursday with a detail from their years together in Los Angeles: the salute he gave the longtime Lakers public address announcer at the scorer’s table.
The Lakers announced Tanter’s death Wednesday night. He was 76.
In a Sept. 24 post on X, James recalled seeing Tanter at nearly every home game over the previous eight years. He explained that acknowledging him was a way of showing appreciation while Tanter was still alive.
REST IN PARADISE Lawrence Tanter! Loved seeing you pretty much every single home game for the past 8 years at the scores table and always acknowledging you with a 🫡 cause you deserved the 💐 while you were living! Your voice command and echoed throughout
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2026
the entire arena. You made home games SPECIAL! You will be truly missed! Glad we got to share some time together my man! My heart and prayers goes to your family and loved ones! Love you LT! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 24, 2026
“You made home games SPECIAL!” James wrote in a second post.
James also expressed gratitude for their time together and sent his condolences to Tanter’s family. His tribute focused on the presence behind the microphone, describing how Tanter’s voice filled the arena.
That courtside acknowledgment gave the message a personal dimension. For James, Tanter was someone he made a point of recognizing during the routine of a home game, before the attention shifted to the players on the floor.
Jeanie Buss also paid tribute to Tanter after the team shared the news.
A true original that added his unique style to Showtime. Rest in peace, LT. https://t.co/GTDopukHGs
— Jeanie Buss (@JeanieBuss) September 24, 2026
“A true original that added his unique style to Showtime. Rest in peace, LT,” Buss wrote.
Lawrence Tanter’s voice connected Lakers generations
Tanter began announcing Lakers games in 1982 and remained in the role for 43 seasons. The team’s June announcement credited his tenure with spanning 10 NBA championships and 16 Western Conference titles as he moved into an advisory position for game presentation.
Those totals establish the reach of his career, but one of his most memorable introductions came on a night devoted to mourning.
On Jan. 31, 2020, in the Lakers’ first game after Kobe Bryant’s death, Tanter introduced all five starters as Bryant. The Lakers’ original video post preserves the moment, with the familiar reference to Lower Merion High School leading into Bryant’s name.
“Number 24, 6’6, 20th campaign from Lower Merion High School…” pic.twitter.com/H314wWufA2
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 1, 2020
James had addressed the crowd during the same pregame ceremony. Before the team returned to basketball, Tanter’s introductions made Bryant part of the starting lineup one more time.
Later that year, Tanter contributed to the game experience even with the Lakers away from Los Angeles. The team’s June announcement noted that he recorded introductions at home for use during the NBA’s 2020 bubble.
His voice therefore remained part of a season that ended with the Lakers’ 2020 championship, despite the absence of the usual home crowd. It was a practical contribution that also preserved something familiar about Lakers basketball in an unfamiliar setting.
James’ remembrance brought the focus back to the scorer’s table. Across years of home games, the salute was his way of making sure the man introducing the players received recognition of his own.
