DENVER — Drake Solomon says he was born to be Denver Nuggets SuperMascot Rocky.
Not just in the dream job way — in the literal, “I was on the court at two weeks old while my dad was in costume” way.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Solomon told Denver Sports on Wednesday during an interview at his lawyer’s office. “My whole family, not just me, we were heartbroken. The first time I was on the court was at two weeks old. I have videos of my dad holding me as a baby, doing the little twist-and-shake dance.”
On Tuesday, Solomon filed a lawsuit against his former employer, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, claiming the organization mistreated him after a hip injury and replaced him without warning. He alleges disability discrimination, retaliation and a hostile work environment after returning from hip surgery, including comments from his bosses that compared him to a “Make-A-Wish kid.”
The complaint also includes a class-action claim under Colorado’s Protecting Opportunities and Workers’ Rights Act, saying KSE’s severance agreements violate state law.
“It’s not about getting back at them,” Solomon said, wearing a black suit with a Rocky pin on his lapel. “It’s more just about right and wrong. We want the Nuggets from here on out to take care of their employees, do things the right way, the legal way.”
KSE declined to comment to Denver Sports.
Solomon took over the Rocky role in 2021 after winning a closed-door audition — the only invited candidate. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Kenn Solomon, who performed as Rocky for more than 30 years.
During the Nuggets’ 2022-23 championship season, Drake developed severe hip pain. In January 2023, doctors diagnosed him with avascular necrosis. He opted for a bilateral core decompression to speed his return rather than an immediate hip replacement.
“I really wanted to finish out the season,” Solomon said. “But it got to the point where I couldn’t anymore.”
By the 2023-24 season, the pain forced him to get a hip replacement. Before the procedure, Solomon says his bosses — game operations director Craig Dzaman and game entertainment manager Steve Johnston — informed him there would be tryouts for Rocky “regardless of the outcome” of his surgery, something that hadn’t happened in years.
Solomon’s doctors estimated he’d be back at 80 percent in about six months. Instead, he returned early in May 2024, weeks ahead of schedule and before the end of the playoffs.
“I called them, excited, and they weren’t too happy,” Solomon said. “They thought I was jumping the gun. I reassured them I had a doctor’s note.”
According to the lawsuit, Johnston sarcastically asked him, “So, you can go dunk now?” Solomon says he was largely ignored. He continued to work full-time — even as his job posting went public.
“It was devastating,” Solomon said. “We always wanted to protect Rocky and keep him at the highest level. To hear someone else might step in that costume — it was like losing a family member.”
The complaint says neither Johnston nor Dzaman attended his summer appearances, despite invitations, and never asked him to demonstrate his abilities. At the tryout, Solomon claims he met all physical requirements and was even asked to show other candidates how to dunk safely. He was fired shortly afterward, with no reason given.
KSE has since said he was not the highest-scoring applicant.
For Solomon, the hardest part was the ladder climbs. Those became grueling, especially with his pain. But the joy of making a half-court shot was almost the best. That’s because his favorite thing was being in the community as Rocky.
“The best part was making a difference in people’s lives,” he said. “Going to Children’s Hospital, visiting veterans, making kids smile after the worst tragedies — that was the best part of the job.”
The SuperMascot is a superhero in Denver. Long before Nikola Jokic became the face of basketball in Denver, there was Rocky. He was there for plenty more bad times than good.
Sports fans in the Mile High City have always had a lot of pride in having one of the best mascots. A character who could joke with another team’s best player with a slapstick bit or do some high-flying acrobatics. The backwards half-court shot has become so iconic that fans think the mascot’s make rate is an omen of the team’s success or failure that night.
There’s only one statue around Ball Arena, and it’s of Rocky.
Rocky is so ingrained in Denver that the Broncos actually tried to adapt the mountain lion to be their mascot as well, a long-rumored story that Solomon confirmed.
So, suing the team he loves in the city he grew up in hasn’t been easy.
“I still love the Nuggets. Always will,” Solomon said. “They were like a second family growing up. I don’t want to devastate the fans. I just want to protect Rocky’s legacy.”
According to court filings, Solomon earned a $70,000 base salary as Rocky, plus $15,000 to $20,000 in annual appearance fees — far short of the six-figure urban legends about the role.
The lawsuit seeks damages under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) and the POWR Act, and opens the door for other former KSE employees who received similar severance agreements to join.
For Solomon, who was there for many of the Nuggets’ biggest moments and fondly recalls the lore around Rocky, it’s about making sure his and his father’s legacy will live on correctly.
