Uniontown’s Lantz receives prestigious award
Submitted photo
Los Angeles Lakers sportscasting legend Stu Lantz accepts the Governors Award at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel on July 22 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Submitted photo
Uniontown graduate Stu Lantz (right) works a game with the late Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame broadcaster Chick Hearn.
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Stu Lantz (left) is shown during playing days with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Former Uniontown basketball star Stu Lantz added another honor to his great career resume as the recipient of the 75th Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award on July 22, recognizing his 36-year career as a broadcast analyst for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The award is presented to an individual, company or organization, selected by the Los Angeles Area Governors Award committee, that has made an outstanding, innovative and visionary achievement in the arts, sciences or management of television, as well as a substantial contribution to the greater Los Angeles area.
鈥淔or 36 seasons, Stu has served Los Angeles and Lakers fans across the globe with his vast knowledge, skill and passion for basketball,鈥� said Frank Scherma, chair of the Television Academy. 鈥淗is long career in broadcasting is a testament to both his professionalism and immense popularity, and we are thrilled to recognize him for his contributions to our television community. Lantz has been a Lakers voice through eight championship runs, teaching fans about the game through his distinctive broadcasting style.鈥�
Lantz was thrilled with the honor.
鈥淚 was very, very pleased,鈥� Lantz stated. 鈥淚 was surprised and obviously, very honored.鈥�
Lantz was born and raised in Uniontown. He was a star on Uniontown鈥檚 undefeated state championship team that posted a record of 28-0 in 1964 and was as an All-State selection for the Red Raiders.
Lantz accepted a basketball scholarship from the University of Nebraska. In the 1966-67 season, he contributed to the program鈥檚 first 20-win season (20-5), first NIT Tournament bid and second-place finish in the Big Eight Conference.
Lantz became the school鈥檚 first two-time All-Big Eight selection, and led the Cornhuskers in scoring and rebounding in both the 1966-67 and 1967-68 seasons. He finished his college career with a 16.9 points, 48.5 percent shooting and 7.6 rebound average.
Lantz鈥� No. 22 jersey was retired in 1989, the second retired by the school. He was inducted into the Nebraska Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
Lantz played in the National Basketball Association from 1968 until 1976 with the San Diego/Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, New Orleans Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers. He tallied 6,782 career points (12.4 ppg), grabbed 1,820 rebounds and dished out 1,566 assists.
It has been quite a journey for Lantz.
鈥淚t was obviously going to college and playing basketball, that鈥檚 really where it all started,鈥� Lantz recalled. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any aspirations whatsoever of getting into television, it鈥檚 just something that came up after I retired.鈥�
His career in broadcasting was totally unexpected after retiring as a player.
鈥淢y degree is in elementary education, I should be teaching third graders,鈥� explained Lantz. 鈥淏ut, when I retired I had a friend that was in the broadcasting business and he said that he thought I鈥檇 be a good analyst. I told him that I had no background in journalism.
鈥淗e said don鈥檛 worry about it, contacted CBS and CBS contacted me for an audition, and I鈥檝e been doing it ever since.鈥�
Lantz has been the Lakers鈥� color commentator since 1987, sharing the microphone with Chick Hearn, Paul Sunderland, Joel Meyers and, now, Bill Macdonald on Spectrum 缅北禁地Net.
Lantz has been named by the Southern California 缅北禁地 Broadcasters Association as the best television color commentator on seven occasions.
Lantz was inducted into the Southern California 缅北禁地 Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2018. On February 27, 2022, before a home game against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Lakers commemorated Lantz鈥檚 35 years broadcasting for the team with a pregame video tribute that featured celebratory messages from Pat Riley, Walt Frazier, Derek Fisher, and Shaquille O鈥橬eal, among other basketball greats.
Lantz鈥檚 break with the Lakers came about because of Hall of Fame broadcaster Chick Hearn.
鈥淚 had played for the Lakers, that was my last team I played with,鈥� Lantz said. 鈥淚 knew Chick Hearn and he had always mentioned that if the opportunity ever presented itself that he鈥檇 like to have me come along side, and ten years later, the opportunity came around and I took advantage of it.鈥�
At the time many wondered if Hearn and Lantz would mesh on the air.
鈥淚t worked and most people didn鈥檛 think it would work very well, because Chick always had the reputation of not allowing his partners to do much talking,鈥� explained Lantz. 鈥淭hey knew me and knew that I was not one that held my voice back, and they felt I wouldn鈥檛 last that long with him.
鈥淏ut, they underestimated him because he did a very good job of allowing me to be me. As it evolved, we turned into a very good duo.
鈥淲hen we were doing it, my first 15 years of doing color were with Chick and we did a simulcast that time. We were doing radio and television at the same time. That makes it even more difficult for the continuity to get going because the play-by-play guy has to do a lot more talking on radio.
鈥淚t was an interesting time, but again they underestimated the quality of work that Hearn could do.鈥�
The 75th Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award is the highlight of an outstanding career for Lantz, especially considering the history of previous award winners. Lantz joins Southern California sports broadcasting icons Bob Miller (2016), Chick Hearn (2001) and Vin Scully (1991) as a Governor鈥檚 Award recipients.
鈥淚t was not something that I expected growing up,鈥� stated Lantz. 鈥淚 said I was going to be a basketball player, then you go into another career and you get an honor of that magnitude.
鈥淵ou also got to remember that this is an award that is not necessarily just given for just the body of work you do on television. It鈥檚 given for the body of work you do for the community.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why a guy like Kobe Bryant also was a recipient of this award. When I was able to be in the company of Kobe and Chick and Vin, it really struck me.鈥�
Lantz will be entering his 37th year on the air with the Lakers this season and shows no signs of slowing down.
鈥淚 definitely enjoy what I鈥檓 doing,鈥� Lantz said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have any hobbies, I don鈥檛 golf and I don鈥檛 play tennis anymore because of my shoulder. So, I don鈥檛 really have any hobbies and I treat this as a hobby.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what I would do without basketball. I play it year-by-year and I let the team know every July if I鈥檓 going to comeback the following year, and this year I let them know I鈥檇 be back again this coming season.鈥�
Lantz is synonymous with the Lakers and his is proud of his relationship with the Lakers鈥� fan base.
鈥淥ur fan base is really tremendous,鈥� said Lantz. 鈥淣ot only right here in Los Angeles, but across the country and across the world. It鈥檚 amazing the fan base that the Lakers have. It鈥檚 really an honor to be associated with the Lakers.鈥�
Looking back Lantz says it has been a great run and he has been behind the microphone for some great teams and players.
鈥淥h my god, that鈥檚 probably the ironic part of all of this,鈥� explained Lantz. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so easy to do a good job when you are working with a good product. From the day I started, I have seen nothing but great, great players to broadcast for. Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, you got Shaq, Kobe, Lebron James and it just continues on generation after generation.
鈥淲e just get those super great players and it just makes my job easier.鈥�