Kobe Bryant pokes fun at weight gain in deleted Instagram post (Photo)

One season out of the NBA, former Lakers great Kobe Bryant has seemed to put on a bit of weight during his retirement and he knows it.

After playing 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers and scoring 33,643 points, Kobe Bryant is allowed to enjoy his retirement. With all the bumps and bruises that he’s endured over the years, he is finally able to relax and spend time away from basketball.

As it turns out, the Mamba has put on a little bit of weight during the time off.

Bryant posted a photo of himself on his Instagram page, but it was quickly deleted. Of course, with the internet being how it is, no deleted post goes unnoticed.

Of course, Bryant posted a clever caption with the photo claiming that he is on the track to getting back in shape. For a player that played at the highest level in one of the most challenging sports in the world, it shouldn’t be much of a problem. We shouldn’t be seeing #mambathick much longer.

In retrospect, it is pretty common to see athletes gain weight after they retire. We see it happen all the time. When playing, they are in elite shape and practicing almost daily; it’s what they have to do to be the best at their respective sport.

But during retirement, it can prove to be a whole different ballgame. They aren’t faced with the same kind of diet restrictions and workout requirements. For some, this is a relief. They’ve spent most of their life in the gym, and when retirement comes it allows for a break. Bryant isn’t tasked with having to play an 82-game season anymore.

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And let’s be fair here, it’s not like Bryant is in terrible shape. For a player that’s 38 years old and a future Hall of Famer, that’s pretty good. It just doesn’t look like the Lakers will be calling him back to play anytime soon.