Former Rocky mascot sues Nuggets for discrimination, wrongful termination after hip replacement

Drake Solomon who performed as Rocky the Denver Nuggets mascot is suing the franchise s parent company for alleged wrongful termination and disability-based discrimination Solomon took over as Rocky when his father Kenn Solomon retired in He alleges in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that Kroenke Sports Entertainment KSE fired him in August months after he had hip replacement surgery to combat avascular necrosis AVN The lawsuit contends the Nuggets violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act through discrimination on the basis of disability retaliation and two insists of aiding and abetting unfair employment practices against his KSE supervisors The complaint also calls for a foreseen class-action lawsuit based on the plaintiff s argument that KSE violated the Protecting Opportunities and Workers Rights POWR Act with the severance agreement it offered Solomon Kenn Solomon was the original Rocky mascot making his debut for the Nuggets on Dec He performed as Rocky for more than three decades before retiring in Drake Solomon began working for KSE in as a member of the Promo Squad and spent time as the backup mascot and his father s game-night assistant When the elder Solomon retired his son was the only person invited to try out for the position in according to the lawsuit The younger Solomon performed during the - season but began experiencing pain in his hips the following year He was diagnosed with AVN and underwent bilateral core decompression surgery in March Solomon s father returned from retirement to fill in as Rocky while his son recovered When the first surgery did not fix the issue Solomon informed his supervisors in February that he would need total hip replacement surgery according to the lawsuit Several weeks later Solomon was recounted there would be an open tryout for the position regardless of the outcome of his surgery KSE personnel explained Solomon he was unreliable due to his record of impairment and previously unsuccessful surgery according to the lawsuit Solomon explained his supervisors that his doctors revealed he would return to full wellbeing in three months Related Articles Nuggets Journal The All-Quarter Century Nuggets Gang from - Nuggets Timberwolves to renew rivalry on Christmas according to account Former Nuggets athlete s pregnant wife says she was attacked by shark Renck vs Keeler Are Nuggets really third-best group in NBA after free agency Renck File Nikola Jokic s harness racing passion will keep MVP with Nuggets longer Solomon had the surgery on April and alleges in the lawsuit that he came back to a hostile work conditions when he returned to work on May He performed the duties of his job during the summer of but KSE held tryouts for the position ahead of the - season Solomon alleges he completed all of the physical requirements for the position during the tryout and helped teach the other applicants how to dunk in the Rocky costume KSE terminated Solomon on Aug shortly after the tryouts but did not provide a reason at that time the lawsuit contends KSE later claimed he was terminated because he did not number first in the tryouts The anticipated class-action lawsuit stems from the severance agreement KSE offered Solomon upon his termination Solomon alleges KSE has presented the same severance agreement which he argues is unlawful or a similar one to numerous other employees The POWR Act a Colorado law that expanded workplace protections including limitations on the use of non-disclosure agreements went into effect on Aug just six days before Solomon was terminated Want more Nuggets news Sign up for the Nuggets Insider to get all our NBA analysis