SuperMascot Rocky — The NBA’s Highest-Paid Mascot(!?)
Denver, CO · Basketball
★Mascot Hall of Fame — Class of 2008
| Team / Organization | Denver Nuggets |
|---|---|
| Location | Denver, CO |
| League / Division | NBA |
| First Debuted | December 15, 1990 (Nuggets home game vs. Phoenix Suns) |
| Species / Type | Mountain lion (anthropomorphic; officially “SuperMascot Rocky”) |
| Best Known For | Highest-paid NBA mascot ($625K/year per Sports Illustrated 2023); 33-year run by original performer Kenn Solomon; daring acrobatics |
| Year Inducted | 2008 |
Profile
Rocky the Mountain Lion — officially “SuperMascot Rocky” — has been described by fan polls as the most popular mascot in the NBA. Sports Illustrated reported his salary at $625,000/year in 2023, making him the highest-paid mascot in the league. Original performer Kenn Solomon wore the suit for 33 years before passing the role to his son Drake after the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA Championship win.
Fun Facts
- Original performer, Kenn Solomon, wore the Rocky costume from December 1990 through the Nuggets’ 2023 NBA Championship — a 33-year tenure that ended at the pinnacle. He then passed the role to his son Drake.
- Sports Illustrated reported in 2023 that Rocky earns approximately $625,000 annually — roughly 10 times the average NBA mascot salary — reflecting decades of building one of the league’s premier game-day entertainment programs.
- Rocky gained national attention in 1994 when he taunted Dennis Rodman with a baby bottle during a game against the San Antonio Spurs. Rodman took the bottle and pretended to drink from it. The crowd went wild.
Links
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