Robert Horry is as cool at LA's trendiest parties as he is on the court, as evidenced by his starpower at the downtown LA PS2 bash at The Standard hotel a day before the huge E3 Convention last week.

Decked out in gray Drop Dead Clothing, "what I call culotte gear," and sparse but shiny jewelry, Horry greets all with the charm of a 6'10" Will Smith. BET comedienne/talk show host Kym Whitley greets him with a "Snickerpoo, cutie pie, look at you and your Will Smith self, looking so cute in those braces." Horry says, "Everybody likes the look, but I only got them because I took my wisdom teeth out."

Meanwhile, real-life Spiderman Tobey Maguire, wearing a stubble-beard, lurks in the background stealing glances at the real-life hero.

When an overzealous female fan spills wine on the back of his shirt, the nonchalant Horry says nothing, and just douses the stain with water. While playing a new spy game SOCOF ("I love spy games. I used to play eight hours a day, but now I only play three because of my kids"), The Fast And The Furious star Michelle Rodriguez comes by for an up-close look.

Horry breaks away when he hears Ja Rule take the stage ("Gotta stop the game for Ja"), but once again he is interrupted by his adoring public.

Friends call him "Robert," but strangely he is beckoned by fans with calls of "Horry." Like the cat at the bar, who salutes him with an "Horry!" shout and a three-point signal. Or the hundreds of beautiful women in the downtown LA hotel, who surround him and say, "Horry, you better win because we've got money on it."

Horry just laughs it off -- braces, jewelry and smile all shining like the LA stars above at this open-air party where he is definitely the star attraction.

"This is all cool," says Horry, as the clock strikes midnight, "but I better go home now, because I gotta go to work tomorrow."

Time to play. Time to be work. Time to be cool. Indeed, a four-time NBA champ's work is never done.

Darryl Howerton is a contributor to ESPN The Magazine.