Former Nuggets mascot takes legal action vs $21.2 billion-worth KSE for hostile work environment

From a basketball perspective, the Denver Nuggets have had a solid offseason. They’ve made some big moves, such as landing Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas, and they looked poised for another deep postseason run. However, they seem to be facing some trouble off the court.

According to Jake Shapiro of Denver Sports, Drake Solomon, the performer who used to dress up as Rocky, is now suing Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE) for disability discrimination.

“Solomon’s lawyers at Rathod Mohamedbhai claim KSE created a hostile work environment once he returned from surgery, including retaliation, and that Solomon’s firing violated both the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) and Colorado’s Protecting Opportunities and Workers’ Rights (POWR) Act,” Shapiro reported.

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KSE, a sports behemoth led by Stanely Kroenke, owns the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, and many other sports teams. According to Axios, the company is currently valued at $21.2 billion.

Shapiro also reported that Solomon got the full-time role in 2021. During the 2022-23 season, he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis, a condition in which bone tissue dies due to a lack of blood supply. Solomon underwent surgery that season but had to opt for a hip replacement in the 2023-24 season to help him deal with the condition.

"Solomon says he quickly returned to work again and was healthy, but experienced a hostile work environment as well as a confirmation that the team would still be conducting try-outs for his position because he had 'burned them last time,'" Shapiro wrote. "Solomon was fired after the tryouts, which his attorneys say violated his rights under CADA."

Notably, Drake Solomon is the son of Kenn Solomon, the original performer behind the mascot and the man who turned him into an icon in the city. From his legendary stunts, including one in which he was spotted hanging from the ceiling of the arena, to his hilarious feud with Charles Barkley, Kenn paved the way for his son to continue his legacy.

Denver Nuggets make several offseason moves to bolster championship aspirations

While the legal department at KSE handles this situation, coach David Adelman and the Nuggets will try to get the job done on the court, and the front office has done a good job of adding solid players to their roster.

The Nuggets brought back fan favorite and former champion Bruce Brown, who will give them a defensive boost. Tim Hardaway Jr. will help them stretch the floor and take some minutes away from Jamal Murray, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

While Murray has battled injuries, Nikola Jokic has been a very durable player and likely won't be off the floor for many games. Knowing that the Nuggets have an outstanding pick-and-roll player and rebounder in Jonas Valanciunas sure helps the Denver manage Jokic better.

Adding Cam Johnson to the roster gives the Nuggets one of the most efficient long-range shooters in the game, and the team looks much better now than it did at the end of last season.

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About the author

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto Cova is a journalist at Sportskeeda with a PhD in Sports Psychology. His education helped him develop a clearer understanding of the sports world as a whole, including basketball. Ernesto has over eight years of experience in the field, working for Fadeaway World, The Inquisitr, NBA Blast, The Cold Wire and Bolavip, among others.

His favorite team is the Chicago Bulls because of the Michael Jordan era. Jordan is Ernesto's all-time favorite, as he changed the game forever. Ernesto's second favorite was Kobe Bryant because he embodied that same competitive fire and Ernesto watched him play throughout his entire career. Nowadays, Ernesto really likes Stephen Curry, who he believes to be the most influential player of the past 15 years or so.

Ernesto's favorite basketball moment was when Venezuela -- his country -- took down Canada to take home the 2015 FIBA Americas Cup.

When not watching or writing about basketball, Ernesto likes to read and is interested in photography.

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