Rocky, the iconic Denver Nuggets mascot, is at the center of a legal battle after the man behind the suit, Drake Solomon, filed a lawsuit accusing the team’s ownership of disability discrimination.
In a case filed Tuesday in Denver District Court, Solomon alleged that Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), which owns the Nuggets, unlawfully terminated him after he took time off to recover from a serious hip injury. He is seeking unspecified damages, claiming his firing violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act.
Solomon’s connection to Rocky runs deep, he inherited the role in 2021 from his father, who had been the franchise’s beloved mountain lion mascot for over 30 years. His journey with the Nuggets began in 2012 as a trampoline dunk performer and member of the promotional squad. When his father retired, Solomon was the sole invitee to a private tryout, securing the job and continuing the family legacy.
The lawsuit details that during the 2022-23 NBA season, Solomon was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a debilitating condition in which bone tissue dies due to insufficient blood supply.
He underwent surgery to address the condition and returned to performing as Rocky just 10 days later, still experiencing hip pain. In the 2023-24 season, doctors determined he needed a hip replacement, a procedure that would temporarily sideline him.
According to Solomon, when he informed supervisors of his medical needs, they expressed doubts about his long-term health and announced plans to hold tryouts for his position. After his surgery, Solomon claims he recovered quickly, only to return to what he described as a “hostile work environment.”
He says he was told the Nuggets were moving forward with tryouts because he had “burned them last time” by missing time for his earlier procedure.
In August 2024, shortly after the tryouts concluded, Solomon was terminated. His attorney, Siddhartha Rathod, likened the firing to dismissing someone for taking maternity leave, calling it both a personal and professional blow to a family that had embodied Rocky for decades.
Adding to the significance of the case is the fact that Rocky the Mountain Lion is not just a mascot he is the highest-paid mascot in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets’ mascot reportedly earns an annual salary of $625,000, a figure that dwarfs the pay of most NBA mascots and underscores the role’s prestige within the league.
While Solomon’s current net worth has not been publicly disclosed, the position’s lucrative salary over multiple seasons, along with appearances, endorsements, and community events, likely placed him among the most financially successful figures in the mascot world.
The Nuggets organization has not yet publicly commented on the lawsuit. The case raises broader questions about how professional sports organizations handle long-term performers with medical conditions, especially those who, like Solomon, have become integral to the team’s identity and fan experience.
With the outcome still to be determined, the dispute underscores the human side of professional sports, where even mascots, behind the costumes and crowd-pleasing stunts, can face battles every bit as real as those on the court.
