Derrin Horton was announced as the new public address announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, October 1. Horton is set to take over announcing duties at the Lakers’ home games held at Crypto.com Arena and brings over 35 years of experience as a sports broadcaster, having worked as an anchor, reporter, host, and play-by-play announcer across various sports.
He will make his debut for the Lakers during a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday, October 8. Horton succeeds Lawrence Tanter, the longtime voice of the Lakers, who passed away on September 23. Tanter had been with the Lakers for more than 43 seasons and had retired from announcing earlier this year after suffering a stroke in March. He was planning to continue contributing in a game-day advisory role before his passing.
Reflecting on his new role, Horton acknowledged the difficulty of replacing Tanter, stating, “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.”
Fan Take: This announcement is significant for Lakers fans who have cherished Lawrence Tanter’s iconic voice for decades. Derrin Horton’s extensive broadcasting background promises to bring a fresh yet respectful energy to the game-day experience, helping preserve the excitement and tradition that make Lakers basketball so special.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
