Not all players are excited to play alongside Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, but Roy Hibbert is up to the challenge.

Hibbert, who was acquired by the Lakers in a trade with the Indiana Pacers in July, said that he had a taste of Bryant's toughness before, when he suffered a broken nose after fouling Bryant.

Hibbert told ESPN that he did not get any sympathy from Bryant after the incident, but they have already cleared the air. Now that he will not need to foul Bryant in an official NBA game anymore, Hibbert said that he is very excited to play for the Lakers next season.

"Just being able to play with a great, being pushed by somebody that has done it and won five championships," Hibbert said of playing with Bryant. "I'm up for a challenge. People tell me a lot of different things, how he'll respect me, and I feel like if I go about my business, I can get it done."

It is not a secret Bryant's former teammates did not like playing alongside him before -- like Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard. Hibbert said that he does not care of what he has been hearing about Bryant as a teammate, insisting that he will just do his best on the hard court to avoid any tension.

"I'm not going to speculate on other people and how they interacted with him and their relationships," Hibbert added. "I feel like if I put my best foot forward in practices and in games, I don't feel like there will be any tension."

Hibbert, who will be playing in the final year of his contract and is scheduled to earn $15.5 million in the 2015-16 season, played his first seven seasons in the league with the Indiana Pacers. He made the All-Star team in 2012 and 2014, but has been mentioned in numerous trade rumors last season until he was dealt this summer.

One Eastern Conference executive told ESPN that moving to the Lakers could work wonders for Hibbert's career. The executive believes Bryant could help Hibbert improve a lot next season.

"I could actually see Kobe getting the best out of Roy," the executive said. "I don't think he's ever been pushed before like he will be this next year. And it's a contract year."

Hibbert, who was selected 17th overall during the 2008 NBA Draft, averaged 11.1 points on top of 6.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in his first seven seasons in the league.

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