The mesmerizing night on April 13, 2016, was over, leaving this reporter to casually stroll through the bowels of Staples Center, with thoughts on how Kobe Bryant had captivated the sporting world one last time with a 60-point work of art.

As he eased his way down the tunnel where the Lakers had parked their cars, I could see Bryant out of the corner of my eyes. He was smiling, laughing, enjoying time with his wife, Vanessa, family and friends who had come to see the master put a bow on a brilliant 20-year career.

Not wanting to be a bother to Kobe, I continued to walk up the tunnel to head toward my car. But I changed my mind, made a U-turn and walked over to the area where Bryant was standing.

Bryant saw me and called out, “Man, BT, get … over here.”

We then both smiled and laughed, shaking our heads at each other.

I had covered Kobe Bryant for his entire 20-year career with the Lakers and now here we stood laughing like two giggly teenagers.

We embraced. … no, we hugged each other, a heartfelt hug, a hug of endearment and respect.

The first thing out of my mouth over the next 10 minutes or so we spent together was:

“Damn, Kob. 60! Really! … You just dropped a 60-piece in your last game. C’mon, man!”

Bryant was wearing a Los Angeles Lakers sweatsuit, and all he could do was shake his head at what he had just done. There was a gleam in his eyes, but there were no words coming at all from him about this masterpiece.

He did look at the suit I was wearing and said:

“Boy, I see you’re still the best damned dressed sports writer in America.”

“Well, Kob, it’s not like I have a lot of competition,” I replied. “Have you seen how some of these writers dress?”

“Facts, BT,” he said in return.

And then both of us laughed again.

There was so much for us to talk about, and yet so much went unsaid.

It was impossible to paint a picture of his defining career at that moment, so it was just two dudes talking a little about some of his former teammates — Shaq. Big Shot Rob. D-Fish. Foxy. LO. Metta. Pau.

There was some reminiscing about his very first game with the Lakers — in the Summer Pro League at the Pyramid at Long Beach State.

In looking back at that game later, it was the coming out party for the 17-year-old Bryant on July 15, 1996, in a jammed-packed gym. He scored 27 points against the Detroit Pistons.

I covered that game and was awestruck like everyone else.

As we continued to reminisce, it wasn’t long before Bryant asked if I had consumed any good wine lately.

“Of course,” I said.

It was always fun talking to Bryant about some vino.

I asked him if he remembered the time the Lakers were in Boston to play the Celtics and how a drunk fan was pestering him at the team’s hotel bar.

Bryant was watching a Duke-North Carolina game and really didn’t want to be disturbed. A few reporters and support staff from the Lakers sat at another table not far from where Kobe was sitting.

Eventually, the man told Kobe that he would buy him a drink if he autographed something for him.

“What about my friends over there?” Bryant asked the man, who said “sure.”

“Yo, BT, what you drinking?” Bryant asked me. “Some red wine, right?”

So, this man brought several rounds of wine for the table and Bryant signed something for the fan.

“Man, I bet when that dude wakes up tomorrow from his hangover, he won’t even know where that autograph is,” Bryant said, laughing.

Bryant just laughed when I reminded him of that story.

“But it was some good wine, right?” Bryant said.

Bryant’s last game was an event.

It was like the Lakers and Celtics playing seven Game 7s for the NBA championship.

Times columnist Bill Plaschke and I sat next to each other and just kept muttering little nothings, really. Neither of us could believe our eyes.

Bryant scored 15 consecutive points in the fourth quarter, each one seemingly sending the crowd into an even bigger frenzy.

Some of the biggest stars in the world were enthralled by Bryant.

It was interesting to see Snoop Dogg, Lamar Odom sitting with Kanye West, David Beckham, Jay-Z and, of course, Lakers superfan Jack Nicholson all watching in amazement as Bryant performed on his stage.

They came to see a show and Bryant delivered.

As our conversation began to wind down on that magical night, we both had the same thoughts.

“Man, Kob, 20 years,” I said. “That s— went fast as hell.” He laughed.

“Right,” Bryant said. “That s— flew by. But I loved every minute of it.”

“So did I, Kob,” was my response. “So did I.”

Here’s to you Kobe Bean Bryant.

Thanks for a great ride and allowing me to be a part of your journey.

I will celebrate your life and legacy with a bottle of vino!

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.