Ex-Denver Nuggets mascot drops bombshell lawsuit against team over shocking firing

The NBA franchise team, the Denver Nuggets, might have a court battle ahead of them. It may come from one of their old mascots, who used to shower loud cheers for the team ahead of their top showdowns against other NBA teams for many years.

The Denver Nuggets might be dragged to court by their ex-mascot over a major issue

According to USA Today, the Denver Nuggets’ former mascot, Rocky the Mountain Lion, donned by Drake Solomon, has filed a lawsuit against their parent company, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. It was filed in the Denver District Court on August 13, where Solomon alleged that he was fired from the team last August with no reason provided following a hip replacement surgery during the 2023-24 season. Moreover, he was not given any reasons for termination and offered a severance agreement.

Another reported claim in the lawsuit stated that the Denver Nuggets had violated almost every provision of Colorado's Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights Act. Drake Solomon’s former supervisors are also reportedly named as defendants, and along with other KSE employees, they are seeking monetary damages.

Drake Solomon was called unreliable for the Denver Nuggets mascot tryout before surgery

Drake Solomon had started experiencing pain in both hip joints during the 2022-23 NBA season, which led to a diagnosis of avascular necrosis.

He underwent a correction procedure, but the pain continued even when he returned to his role as the mascot.

This left him with no option but to undergo hip replacement surgery in 2024. However, before that, his supervisors informed him that the Nuggets were holding tryouts to fill the role of Rocky the Mountain Lion, and felt that Solomon was unreliable due to his medical history. He said, "They just said I burned them last time and that they didn't want to bank on the second surgery working out,” Drake said. “They were like, ‘We don't know if it's gonna work out this time because the first time it didn't work out.’"With the second generation mascot reportedly dragging his former team to court, it remains to be seen if justice will be served for the wrongdoings, which Solomon has alleged against the Nuggets.Also read: NBA 2K26 unleashes fantasy basketball as WNBA icons play alongside NBA legends