Latest news with #DrakeSolomon
Time of India
4 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Ex-Denver Nuggets mascot drops bombshell lawsuit against team over shocking firing
The 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. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 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:
Fox News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Fox News
Former Nuggets mascot claims wrongful termination in new lawsuit
A man who worked as the Denver Nuggets' mascot, Rocky the Mountain Lion, for multiple seasons is suing Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), the NBA franchise's ownership group. Drake Solomon accuses his former employer of disability discrimination and an unlawful severance offer. The wrongful termination lawsuit claims Solomon was dismissed after he underwent a double hip replacement procedure. Solomon suggested he is taking a stand to help protect other employees. Solomon maintains the offer he received was unlawful, and other employees were extended after the 2023 passage of Colorado's POWR Act (Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights). Solomon recalled that his severance offer was $20,000. He was also asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which his attorneys argued violated provisions of the POWR Act. Solomon rejected the agreement. "It seemed sketchy to me," he explained. "I wasn't going to sign that." The Nuggets won the franchise's first-ever NBA title in 2023, the same year Solomon says he began experiencing health issues. A bone condition inhibited Solomon's ability to perform tasks associated with being the mascot for a professional sports team. Solomon said he notified his supervisors of his condition. The Nuggets allegedly began seeking his replacement after learning he would eventually need to undergo surgery. Solomon argued the alleged acts were effectively a vote of no confidence in his overall health. "It came to a point where I was on the court shooting a half-court shot with tears dripping down my face," Solomon told CBS Colorado. "It's hard thinking about those times. I really wanted to bring the same energy." Solomon claimed a path to resume his duties was impeded after he had the surgery, which he said left him feeling as if he'd been deceived. "For it to end this way, it feels like betrayal," Solomon said. "We were so loyal to them." Solomon's father performed as the Nuggets mascot for more than three decades before him. "I was on the court at 2 weeks old," Solomon said. Fox News Digital contacted Kroenke Sports & Entertainment for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Nuggets mascot sues team for wrongful termination
The Denver Nuggets might be about to face their old mascot in court. Or more specifically, the guy who used to wear the mascot costume. Drake Solomon, who previously worked as Rocky the mountain Lion, filed a lawsuit against the Nuggets' parent company, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, in Denver District Court on Wednesday he was wrongfully terminated after undergoing a hip replacement surgery during the 2023-24 season, according to Denverite. The lawsuit reportedly claims the Nuggets violated nearly every provision of Colorado's Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights Act and seeks to become a class action lawsuit to include other KSE employees, requesting monetary damages on behalf of Solomon and other plaintiffs. Solomon's former supervisors are also named as defendants, per USA Today. Solomon is a second-generation Nuggets mascot, as his father Kenn Solomon originated the role in 1990. After his father retired in 2021, he was the only person invited to a closed-door tryout and got the job. He reportedly started experiencing hip pain in both joints during the Nuggets' championship season in 2022-23. leading to a diagnosis of avascular necrosis, the death of bone tissue due to the lack of blood supply. To fix it, he underwent a procedure known as bilateral core decompression surgery, but he still missed enough time during the season that his father came out of retirement, and the pain continued when he returned to the court. The next option was reportedly a total hip replacement surgery. Before he went under the knife in 2024, Solomon claims his supervisors told him they would be holding tryouts for the role of Rocky and said he was unreliable due to his medical history. From Denverite: "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.'" 'I didn't get any kind of welcoming back, not that I needed that. But, my higher-ups wouldn't even look at me or talk to me when we all worked in the same office,' Drake said. 'And it wasn't until finally they talked to me when, you know, it was time to talk about having tryouts. So that was pretty tough.' Solomon reportedly said he was terminated last August with no reason provided and was offered a severance agreement witha confidentiality and non-disclosure provision and a liquidated damages provision. The lawsuit reportedly seeks to declare that severance agreement to be in violation of state law.
National Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- National Post
Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky the Mountain Lion files lawsuit against NBA team
The relationship between the Denver Nuggets and their mascot, Rocky the Mountain Lion, has gotten very rocky, indeed. Article content The man who played the character for several years, Drake Solomon, is suing the team's owners — Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) – and seeking unspecified damages for an alleged violation of disability protection laws. Article content The Colorado Sun reported on Wednesday that Solomon, 31, had been diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a bone tissue condition, during the 2022-23 season, eventually leading to multiple surgeries — including a hip replacement procedure during the following season. Article content When Solomon allegedly told his supervisors about the impending surgery, he claims the team opted to hold tryouts for a Rocky replacement 'due to his record of impairment and their lack of confidence in his health.' Article content Solomon was quick to recover from his hip replacement and returned to work during the 2023-24 season. Article content However, the lawsuit claims that when he did come back, it was a 'hostile work environment' and that the team decided to hold tryouts for a new Rocky because Solomon 'burned them last time.' Article content Article content He was fired shortly after the tryouts in August 2024, which he claims violated his rights under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. Article content Solomon actually took over the role of Rocky in 2021 from his father, who donned the costume for more than 30 years. The younger Solomon began his time with the team in 2012 as a 'trampoline dunk artist' before his eventual promotion, which was sealed at a private, closed-door tryout. Article content 'It was not easy to go ahead with this because I love the Nuggets,' Solomon said. 'They've been my whole life and my family. For things to end the way they did, it was pretty heartbreaking.' Article content Solomon was part of the team in 2023, when the Nuggets captured the franchise's lone NBA championship behind the play of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Article content
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Nuggets mascot sues team for discrimination, wrongful termination after hip injury
A former Denver Nuggets mascot is suing the team's owner, alleging a violation of Colorado disability protection laws after he was fired following a hip injury. The lawsuit, obtained by USA TODAY Sports, was filed Tuesday in Denver District Court. It states that 31-year-old Drake Solomon, who donned the Rocky mascot mountain lion suit for three years, wants unspecified damages from the team's owner, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Solomon is suing on the basis of disability, retaliation and two claims of aiding and abetting unfair employment practices against his Kroenke Sports & Entertainment supervisors, who are also named defendants in the case. Solomon was hired to portray Rocky in 2021. His father, Kenn, was the original Rocky, starting in 1990 and serving in the role for more than 30 years. Solomon was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply, during the 2022-23 NBA season, underwent surgery to treat his condition and was later told he would need a total hip replacement. According to the lawsuit, the team then informed Solomon it would hold tryouts for his position because of "his record of impairment and their lack of confidence in his health." Solomon says in the lawsuit that he returned from the hip replacement only to endure a 'hostile work environment' and that the tryouts for Rocky were being held because Solomon had 'burned them last time." Solomon, who began his career with the Nuggets in 2012 as a trampoline dunk artist and member of the 'Promo Squad, was fired, his says without cause, in August 2024. The lawsuit states the team later told Solomon he was being terminated because he failed to score first during tryouts. His termination violates his rights under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, the lawsuit alleges. A potential class-action lawsuit is also in play from the severance package Solomon was offered by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment when he was fired. Solomon says it is unlawful because the company presented other employees with the exact severance agreement. .
