Who is behind Hugo the Hornet?

Hugo, also known as Hugo the Hornet is the official mascot of the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. The idea behind the mascot was picked by a random selection of fan suggestions back when the Hornets were starting their first season in the league. He was initially the mascot of the New Orleans Hornets and instantly became a fan favourite. However, the team later became the Pelicans and retired Hugo as their mascot for Pierre the Pelican.

Hugo was reintroduced as the mascot of the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. The costume is a blue hornet with purple stripes, similar to the team's logo. The mascot’s design came from Cheryl Henson, who is the daughter of Jim Henson, the creator of The Muppets. According to online sources, Hugo the Hornet’s salary could be over $100,000 per year.

Throughout its history, the franchise has had two other mascots. Firstly, Super Hugo, who was a more athletic version of Hugo the Hornet, and the second mascot to work for the franchise was Rufus. This was the time when the Hornets were known as the Charlotte Bobcats.

Person behind the Hugo the Hornet

Michael Zerrillo played Hugo the Hornet for 17 years and retired in 2007. However, the person who is currently playing Hugo the Hornet is anonymous.

In terms of his achievements, Hugo the Hornet has won the NBA Mascot Slam Dunk Championship four times and NBA Inside Stuff Best Mascot Award twice.

After the Hornets drafted Brandon Miller with the second overall pick, Hugo the Hornet went viral for his reaction to the team’s selection. The Hornets had the choice between Miller and Scoot Henderson, and Hugo looked disappointed that his team did not select the latter.