The Los Angeles Lakers just made Derrin Horton their new public address announcer, a huge move considering he’s stepping into the shoes of the late, legendary Lawrence Tanter, who held that mic for an incredible 43 seasons. That’s a voice generations of fans and players grew up with, a staple in the home atmosphere, and Horton’s got quite the legacy to honor.
A New Voice for the Forum , And Beyond
Horton is not just some rookie; this dude is coming in with more than 35 years of sports broadcasting experience. We’re talking anchor, reporter, host, play-by-play announcer for both local and national outlets. Oh, and he’s a seven-time Emmy Award winner. Yeah, seven. He’s been based in Southern California for over 25 years, so he knows the scene, and he graduated from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1991. The Lakers made it clear he’s gonna bring his own perspective while absolutely respecting Tanter’s iconic delivery, which became such a big part of the Lakers’ identity. His first official gig will be October 8, when the Lakers host the Sacramento Kings in a preseason game at Crypto.com Arena. That’s gonna be a moment, hearing that new voice kick off a game for the first time after Tanter’s unmistakable sound for so long, especially with the added poignancy after Tanter’s passing not long after his retirement.
The Lakers Are Building Something Beyond the Court, Too
But wait, there’s more happening behind the scenes. The Lakers are seriously expanding their front office, bringing in some heavy hitters. Pooh Jeter, the former NBA guard, is reportedly coming on board as the director of scouting. He’s been putting in work as a player development coach for the Portland Trail Blazers and even served as an assistant general manager for their G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. This follows some other big offseason additions: Eric Amsler, who’s handling scouting, draft prep, and player evaluation, and Rohan Ramadas, who’s diving deep into salary cap stuff, analytics, and strategy. Coach JJ Redick was pretty hyped about it, especially about Ramadas and that whole data and analytics side of things. He said this expanded staff is finally letting them roll out player development plans they’ve been dreaming up for two years but just didn’t have the manpower for. Redick even said there’s “some cool stuff” coming for the players, and that it’ll be “really beneficial.”
So, while Derrin Horton’s debut on October 8 against the Kings will be a moment to mark the start of a new era in the arena’s soundscape, it’s clear the Lakers are pushing a whole new vision, both on and off the court. Keep an eye on those front office moves; they could quietly be setting up some big plays for the seasons ahead.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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