Television

Stu Lantz

Stu Lantz

Stu Lantz enters his 37th season as an analyst for Lakers broadcasts. With the end of the Lakers simulcast era prior to the 2003-04 season, Stu now teams with play-by-play man Bill Macdonald and broadcasts every Lakers game televised on Spectrum SportsNet. Providing each broadcast with his expert analysis and unique insight garnered through his 40-plus years associated with the NBA as both a player and analyst, he has received numerous awards over the years.

Stu Lantz enters his 37th season as an analyst for Lakers broadcasts. With the end of the Lakers simulcast era prior to the 2003-04 season, Stu now teams with play-by-play man Bill Macdonald and broadcasts every Lakers game televised on Spectrum SportsNet. Providing each broadcast with his expert analysis and unique insight garnered through his 40-plus years associated with the NBA as both a player and analyst, he has received numerous awards over the years. Most recently, Lantz was named the recipient of the 75th Los Angeles Area Emmy Governors Award which 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. Lantz was also inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame as part of the 2018 class. Chosen Southern California’s best radio color commentator six times by the Southern California Sports Broadcaster’s Association and best television color commentator on seven occasions, Lantz has also won nine local EMMY Awards for his work in the Best Live Sports Telecast category.

A graduate of the University of Nebraska (1968), the Cornhuskers officially retired his uniform number (22) on October 17, 1989 during halftime ceremonies of a Lakers’ preseason game in Lincoln. Born in Uniontown, PA, Lantz was originally a third round draft pick of the San Diego Rockets in 1968. Spending his first three seasons in San Diego, he enjoyed his finest pro campaign in 1970-71, averaging career-high figures in both scoring (20.6) and rebounding (5.0). The following season, Lantz ranked sixth overall in the NBA in free throw percentage (.838). He also played for the Detroit Pistons (1972-1974) and New Orleans Jazz (1974) prior to being traded to the Lakers in December of 1974. He played less than two seasons in Los Angeles before announcing his retirement following the 1976-77 campaign due to a back injury.

Immediately following his playing career, Lantz embarked on a broadcasting career, serving as a commentator for the San Diego Clippers, San Diego State University, CBS and the NBA Radio Network. In addition to his broadcast work, for 20-plus years, he also served as an instructor at Pete Newell’s renowned Big Man’s Camp during the offseason, helping improve the skill-set of some of the game’s premier big men.  

Lantz and his wife, Linda, live in San Diego and are the parents of Todd, Kristin and Shane.

Bill Macdonald

Bill Macdonald

Long-time Southern California area broadcaster and four-time local Emmy Award-winning announcer and host Bill Macdonald enters his 14th season behind the mic as Lakers television play-by-play announcer on Spectrum SportsNet.

Long-time Southern California area broadcaster and four-time local Emmy Award-winning announcer and host Bill Macdonald enters his 14th season behind the mic as Lakers television play-by-play announcer on Spectrum SportsNet. Most recently, Macdonald was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.

The versatile Macdonald, a fixture on Fox Sports West/Prime Ticket since its inception in 1985 through the Lakers final season on the network (2012), has broadcast in a variety of capacities over the years as host, field reporter and play-by-play announcer for professional basketball, baseball and hockey, among other sports.

The host of pre- and post-game shows “Lakers Live,” “Angels Live” and “Ducks Live” before joining the Lakers announcing team, Macdonald has also served as the play-by-play voice for UCLA men’s basketball and football and Los Angeles Avengers football.

Having filled in as the Angels, Ducks and Los Angeles Kings play-by-play announcer over the years as well as the Lakers play-by-play announcer on both television and radio, Macdonald most notably called Kobe Bryant’s historic 81-point game on January 22, 2006.

In his career, Macdonald’s hosting duties have included the “UCLA Sports Magazine,” the Emmy Award winning Kings pre-game show “Break the Ice,” “Carl’s Jr. Sports Roundtable,” the Pac-10 basketball tournament from STAPLES Center, the multiple Emmy award winning nightly sports news program “Press Box” and live, phone-in talk show “It’s Your Call.”

Actively involved with charities such as the Special Olympics, the Ronald McDonald House, and the NBA’s Read to Achieve, Macdonald’s work on “Training for Life: The California Special Olympics” was awarded with yet another Emmy.

Born in Bronxville, N.Y., but moving to Corona del Mar, Calif., at an early age, Macdonald attended the University of Southern California where he graduated in 1981 with a degree in communication.

Currently residing in Newport Coast, Macdonald is the proud father of three sons: twin boys, Kirk and Cory, and Billy Jr.

Mike Trudell

Mike Trudell

Entering his 16th season with the Lakers and 11th as the team’s sideline reporter, Mike Trudell will maneuver around the court and locker room for Spectrum SportsNet alongside play-by-play voice Bill Macdonald and analyst Stu Lantz and is the team’s beat reporter for Lakers.com.

Entering his 16th season with the Lakers and 11th as the team’s sideline reporter, Mike Trudell will maneuver around the court and locker room for Spectrum SportsNet alongside play-by-play voice Bill Macdonald and analyst Stu Lantz.

Trudell also serves as the team’s beat reporter for Lakers.com, as he has since the 2008-09 season as a full-time member of the team’s traveling staff. He added sideline TV duties for road games during the 2010-11 campaign and has been the sideline reporter for all locally televised Lakers games since the inaugural Spectrum SportsNet season of 2012-13. He also fills in as a host at the network, and makes appearances as an analyst for studio shows, as for the occasional L.A. Sparks game on Spectrum. He has worked as a game analyst for several Sparks contests in 2022 and 2023.

Since 2019-20, Trudell has filled in to call several Lakers games on ESPN L.A. 710 for radio play-by-play voice John Ireland, with analyst Mychal Thompson. Trudell also worked as a sports talk radio host at ESPN L.A. 710 from 2013-19 alongside Thompson (“Thompson and Trudell”). Additionally, he has filled in for Thompson as the analyst on radio broadcasts for several seasons

Trudell also handles play-by-play duties for the South Bay Lakers for a few G League games each season, alongside analyst A.C. Green. 

Like the Lakers, Trudell came to Los Angeles from Minnesota, where he was the reporter for Timberwolves.com from 2006-08. He also worked for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens, the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe and was a play-by-play announcer for the University of Minnesota’s women’s soccer team, in addition to several high school sports teams.

Trudell is a 2004 graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in Evanston, Ill., outside of Chicago, with a double major in history. He played Big Ten varsity soccer and also honed his broadcast skills at the campus TV (NNN) and radio (WNUR) stations.

Raised in Lake Minnetonka, Minn., Trudell currently resides in Redondo Beach with his wife, Annie, identical twin boys Jett and Talan, son Riggs, and French Bulldog Lyla.

Radio

John Ireland

John Ireland

Serving as the team’s sideline reporter on KCAL-9 from 2002-11, John Ireland returns for his 13th season behind the mic as radio play-by-play announcer for the Lakers.

A seven-time local Emmy Award winner for sports television, he currently co-hosts the Mason and Ireland Show on the Lakers flagship station, 710 AM ESPNLA Radio.

Serving as the team’s sideline reporter on KCAL-9 from 2002-11, John Ireland returns for his 13th season behind the mic as radio play-by-play announcer for the Lakers.

A seven-time local Emmy Award winner for sports television, he currently co-hosts the Mason and Ireland Show on the Lakers flagship station, 710 AM ESPNLA Radio.

Ireland grew up in Corona del Mar, Calif., and graduated from UCLA in 1985 with a degree in history. His career path took him to stations in Monroe, La., Beaumont, Texas, and San Diego before bringing him home to the Los Angeles area in 1995.

In addition to his studio and “roving reporter” work over the years, Ireland added the LA Clippers radio play-by-play announcer responsibilities to his resume in 1997, working five seasons for the team before joining the Lakers beat in 2002. He is a six-time recipient of the Southern California Sports Broadcasters (SCSB) Irv Kaze Radio Talk Show Host Award, and in 2020, was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Ireland is involved in numerous charity organizations that include Autism Speaks among others. He and his wife, Leasa, reside in Manhattan Beach with their son, Jack.

Mychal Thompson

Mychal Thompson

A member of the Lakers championship teams in 1987 and 1988, Mychal Thompson enters his 21st season as the team’s radio analyst.  Formerly the Minnesota Timberwolves television analyst for two seasons, Thompson teams with play-by-play announcer John Ireland for all Lakers radio broadcasts.

A member of the Lakers championship teams in 1987 and 1988, Mychal Thompson enters his 21st season as the team’s radio analyst.  Formerly the Minnesota Timberwolves television analyst for two seasons, Thompson teams with play-by-play announcer John Ireland for all Lakers radio broadcasts.  

Thompson, a standout at the University of Minnesota, averaged 20.8 points per game throughout his four-year collegiate career and was named All-America following both the 1976-77 and 1977-78 campaigns.  The leading scorer in Golden Gopher history with 1,992 points, Thompson was the first overall selection in the 1978 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers.  In 12 seasons and 935 regular season games with the Trail Blazers, Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, Thompson averaged 13.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists.  

Prior to joining the Lakers broadcast team, Thompson co-hosted a radio show in Portland, Ore. and also worked with the NBA’s Vancouver Grizzlies, Seattle Supersonics and Trail Blazers as a television broadcast color analyst.  Thompson also serves as Sports Ambassador for his native Bahamas.  

Thompson and his wife, Julie, reside in Ladera Ranch and have three sons: Mychel, a professional basketball player with past NBA and NBA G League experience who now serves as the Video Coordinator for the Golden State Warriors, Klay, who won NBA Championships in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022 as a member of the Golden State Warriors and has gold medals from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and the 2014 World Championship in Spain, and Trayce, who is a member of the Chicago White Sox organization and has played in the major leagues for the White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres.

Spanish Radio

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Samuel Jacobo

Beginning his second season as a play-by-play announcer for the Lakers, Samuel Jacobo serves as the Spanish Voice of the team, broadcasting every game on Tu Liga Radio 1330, the Lakers Spanish language flagship.

Beginning his second season as a play-by-play announcer for the Lakers, Samuel Jacobo serves as the Spanish Voice of the team, broadcasting every game on Tu Liga Radio 1330, the Lakers Spanish language flagship.

Jacobo brings years of experience to the Lakers, having worked for national and international radio and television companies like Univision, Telemundo, Canal 22, ESPN, Fox Deportes and Spectrum. He has also provided coverage of World Cups, Copa Libertadores, the UEFA Champions League as well as various local and international tournaments for different disciplines like boxing and basketball for HBO and Fox Deportes.

He has also served as the director of radio magazines such as Bazar Deportivo, alternating between shows and general news. He can also be heard on the call for Angel City FC games as the official Spanish radio broadcaster for the NWSL team.

Born in Culiacán Sinaloa, Mexico, Samuel has a Master’s degree as a broadcaster and sports journalist.

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Comenzando su segunda temporada como narrador de jugada para los Lakers, Samuel Jacobo se desempeña como la voz en español del equipo, transmitiendo cada juego en Tu Liga Radio 1330, el canal insignia en español de los Lakers.

 Jacobo aporta años de experiencia a los Lakers, habiendo trabajado para empresas de radio y televisión nacionales e internacionales como Univision, Telemundo, Canal 22, ESPN, Fox Deportes y Spectrum.  También ha brindado cobertura de Copas del Mundo, Copa Libertadores, UEFA Champions League, así como varios torneos locales e internacionales de diferentes disciplinas como boxeo y baloncesto para HBO y Fox Deportes.

 También se ha desempeñado como director de revistas radiales como Bazar Deportivo, alternando programas y noticias generales.  También se le puede escuchar en los juegos de Angel City FC como locutor de radio oficial en español del equipo de la NWSL.

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Jose "Pepe" Mantilla

Since 1993, Jose “Pepe” Mantilla has served an analyst for Lakers Spanish broadcasts, now serving his 31st season in that capacity with nearly 40 years of broadcasting experience overall.

Since 1993, Jose “Pepe” Mantilla has served an analyst for Lakers Spanish broadcasts, now serving his 31st season in that capacity with nearly 40 years of broadcasting experience overall. Most recently, Mantilla was inducted into the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Hall of Fame as a member of the 2021 class. The original Spanish voice of the Lakers, Mantilla broadcasts every game to the team’s large and growing Hispanic audience and has not missed a single game in his over three decades with the team. The Mexico native has seen the team claim six NBA titles during his tenure, which has included hosting “El Show de Los Lakers” and “Fiesta Lakers.”

One of the most active sports journalists in Los Angeles, he is also a popular panelist for radio and TV sports shows, and as a result, was honored with the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award in 2014. In addition to those duties, Pepe has managed to find time to broadcast the Olympics, MLB, the NFL, WNBA, the Pan American Games, college football and basketball, and a variety of soccer leagues and events, including several FIFA World Cups, MLS, the EPL, SERIE A, and Mexico’s national soccer league. He was also the Spanish voice of USC Trojans football for multiple seasons since the turn of the century (most recently between 2012-14), and provided English commentary during the 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups for AM 570 radio, and 2014 World Cup for 710 AM.

A graduate of UNAM in Mexico, Pepe has one daughter, Mercedes, and one son, Andres from his late wife Ivonne, and makes his home in Irvine.

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Desde 1993, Jose "Pepe" Mantilla ha sido el comentarista de las transmisiones de los Lakers en español, y ya se encuentra en su temporada No. 31.

La voz original de los Lakers en español, Mantilla comenta los partidos de los Lakers a la gran audiencia hispana del equipo, y no se ha perdido un juego en más de dos décadas. El oriundo de México ha visto al equipo ganar seis títulos en su estadía, que incluye la conducción de “El Show de los Lakers” y la "Fiesta Lakers".

Al ser uno de los periodistas deportivos más activos de Los Ángeles, él es también un popular panelista en shows de radio y televisión, y fue honrado con el premio Hispanic Media Coalition Impact en 2014, y desde el 2021 está en en El Salón  de la Fama de Southern California Sports Broadcasters.

Además de esos roles, Pepe encontró tiempo para transmitir las Olimpiadas, la MLB, la NFL, la WNBA, los Juegos Panamericanos, baloncesto y beisbol colegial, y una variedad de ligas y eventos de fútbol, incluyendo varias Copas del Mundo, MLS, la Premier League de Inglaterra, la SERIE A, y la Liga Mexicana de fútbol. Él fue también la voz en español de los USC Trojans durante varias temporadas (más recientemente entre 2012-14), y aportó comentarios en inglés durante las Copas del Mundo de la FIFA en 2006 y 2010 para 570AM y en 2014 para 710AM. Graduado de UNAM en México, Pepe tiene una hija, Mercedes, y un hijo, Andrés, con su esposa Ivonne, quien falleció en 2015, y reside en Irvine.

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