Drake Solomon, the man behind the Denver Nuggets' mascot Rocky, is suing Kroenke Sports & Entertainment for wrongful termination after taking time off for a hip injury.
Rocky, the beloved Denver Nuggets mascot and the highest-paid mascot in the NBA, is suing the team's owner, per Jennifer Brown of The Colorado Sun.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Denver District Court, claims that Drake Solomon—the man inside the Rocky costume—was fired after taking time off to recover from a hip injury, violating disability protection laws.
Solomon is seeking damages from Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Nuggets.
Solomon became Rocky in 2021, following his father, the original Rocky, who held the role for over 30 years.
During the 2022–23 season, he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a condition that damages bone tissue due to poor blood supply. He underwent surgery and returned to work just 10 days later, still in pain.
In 2023–24, doctors recommended a hip replacement.
When Solomon informed his supervisors, they said they would hold tryouts for his position due to concerns about his health.
After recovering and returning to work, he faced a "hostile work environment" and was soon fired following the tryouts in August 2024. His lawyer, Siddhartha Rathod, said the termination was like firing someone for taking maternity leave.
Beyond performing at games, Solomon was involved in charity events, toy drives, and youth basketball programs.
He started with the Nuggets in 2012 as a trampoline dunk artist and was the only candidate invited to a closed-door tryout before taking over as Rocky.
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