Kobe Bryant hopes to one day meet Larry Bird

Kobe Bryant has met one NBA legend. Now he wants to meet another.

After the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers Wednesday night, Bryant met NBA Hall of Famer Earl Monroe for the very first time.

Bryant talked after practice Thursday about how it was such an honor to meet Monroe.

Bryant then smiled.

"You know, I've never met Larry Bird,'' Bryant said. "I'd like to.''

That probably can be arranged. But then again, Bird did play for the Boston Celtics, and there is that intense rivalry between Boston and the Lakers.

Bird currently is the president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers.

-- Broderick Turner

Photo: Indiana Pacers' president of basketball operations, Larry Bird, in a May 11, 2005, photo. Credit: D. Lippitt / Einstein / NBAE via Getty Images