The Lakers have named their new public address announcer

For over 40 years, Lawrence Tanter made his mark on the history of the Los Angeles Lakers as their public address announcer at home games, first at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and later at Staples Center/Crypto.com Arena. His tenure began during the 1982-83 season and spanned the Showtime era, the Kobe Bryant era and LeBron James' tenure with the franchise.

Tanter missed several games late last season due to a stroke and retired shortly afterward. Last week, it was announced that he had passed away .

The Lakers have now named their official public address announcer for this season. His name is Derrin Horton, and he commented on his new gig, per Benjamin Royer of the Southern California News Group .

"It's a dream," Horton said Thursday, speaking with local media for the first time since taking over for Tanter. "I mean, are you kidding me? The Lakers? … "When I heard about LT and the opportunity here, I reached out and I had a chance to communicate with LT. He was such a legend, and I considered him to be a friend. So now to be here, obviously, there's no way you can fill his shoes, and so you just come here with a passion and a goal to be informative and entertaining and be a part of 'Showtime'."

"It's a dream," Horton said Thursday, speaking with local media for the first time since taking over for Tanter. "I mean, are you kidding me? The Lakers? …

"When I heard about LT and the opportunity here, I reached out and I had a chance to communicate with LT. He was such a legend, and I considered him to be a friend. So now to be here, obviously, there's no way you can fill his shoes, and so you just come here with a passion and a goal to be informative and entertaining and be a part of 'Showtime'."

Horton has worked for over 35 years as an anchor, reporter, host, play-by-play announcer and voice actor. Residents of the Los Angeles area may know Horton as an anchor at KTLA and KCAL, two local television stations. He has also worked for NFL Network.

According to Thuc Nhi Nguyen of the Los Angeles Times , Horton started out his audition for his new role with the Lakers by trying to imitate Tanter's one-of-a-kind delivery.

"Horton showed up to his audition and instinctively tried to emulate Tanter's signature baritone voice," Nhi Nguyen wrote. "He wanted to sound like what he thought the classic PA announcers should sound like. Lakers president and chief business officer Lon Rosen stopped the tryout in mid-sentence. "'He said, "Hey! Knock it off! I want to hear your voice,"' Horton said. 'And so I just was myself.'"

"Horton showed up to his audition and instinctively tried to emulate Tanter's signature baritone voice," Nhi Nguyen wrote. "He wanted to sound like what he thought the classic PA announcers should sound like. Lakers president and chief business officer Lon Rosen stopped the tryout in mid-sentence.

"'He said, "Hey! Knock it off! I want to hear your voice,"' Horton said. 'And so I just was myself.'"

Horton will get to work at Crypto.com Arena for the first time on Thursday, Oct. 8, when the Lakers hold their third preseason game of 2026 and their first at home.