How the Hornets’ Hugo forced the NBA to change to the rules for mascots
Michael Zerrillo’s past employment doesn’t provide much of a financial boost for his future and he’s perfectly fine with that.
Zerrillo served as the original Charlotte Hornets mascot, Hugo, for more than a decade and he now works for AirTight FaciliTech, a Charlotte-based commercial heating and air conditioning company. HVAC is a slightly different line of work for him.
“It doesn’t help me sell any maintenance agreements when people find out I was Hugo the Hornet,” Zerrillo said. “But it makes me a little bit different because they didn’t talk to any other NBA mascots about this stuff.”
Zerrillo was more than a mascot, though, he was a trailblazer in his industry.
That said, the majority of Zerrillo’s clients likely have no clue he’s part of the reason the NBA added restrictions and safeguards regarding the acts that mascots perform. He was known for pushing the limits early on during his days as Hugo, from 1988-2002, which even led to complaints from Pat Riley and Miami Heat that spurred change.
“More guys started doing things where they’re getting on the rim,” Zerrillo said, “and then the league came out with a rule you can’t stand or sit on (it) because I would do that. And then I would do a handstand on the rim, and put my whole body through the hoop after it sometimes, too.
“So, they were like, ‘These mascots are going to mess up the rim.’ And if a player messes up the rim, it’s part of the game, you know? If they break it or they shift the rim over something that. And I get it. They didn’t want a mascot causing a delay in the game. But we got away with a lot of stuff before that.”
Among the rule changes made by the NBA slowly over time:
- When the mascots are allowed to perform
- The type of aerial acts permitted during the game
- Hanging on the rim and similar stunts that could comprise the game’s integrity were banned.
“It was a little more of the wild west for what mascots could do,” Hornets senior vice president of fan experience Jason Simon said. “So, the original Hugo and Super Hugo (who’s Hugo’s dunking alter ego) was hanging on rims and sliding down stairs. The NBA has kind of put some more rules in place to keep everybody safer and keep equipment in a safe place.”
Yearning to spend more time with his family, Zerrillo retired from the business in 2007 following a stint as New Orleans’ mascot.
His legacy, however, remains with the Hornets. The Observer caught up with Zerrillo to get his take on his top and most memorable moments as Hugo:
Alonzo Mourning’s Game 5 winner, Slam Dunk contests
“That was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Zerrillo said of the game-winning shot hit by Alonzo Mourning — as time expired — that propelled the Hornets to the 1993 Eastern Conference semifinals. “That energy level I’ve never felt again since in an arena. So yeah, there’s a bunch that stand out, but that one does. And my very first year, winning the mascot slam dunk thing that was in Charlotte. That was kind of a little turning point for my first year in the league and that helped me become more popular.”
Overseas appearances
“I got other teams and leagues that would hire me to go (overseas),” Zerrillo said. “Me and the guy from Phoenix, the Gorilla, we went to Australia for 20 days and Argentina all over Europe performing. And sometimes without him or with other guys. Me and Rocky (from the Denver Nuggets) were in Barcelona. So, some really cool experiences that you couldn’t get any other way in life.
“Sometimes you got paid pretty good for it when you went did these other appearances and you had kind of a little vacation trip. So, at the time it seemed like it was always going to keep going, but those things don’t happen anymore. I’m glad I got to enjoy it when it was.”
Infamous bug on the glass dunk
“That was the third mascot All-Star slam dunk tournament we had and I was really challenged. I did a flip (at) the first one and then the second one in Orlando I velcroed a basketball to my head with a hockey helmet on and dunked it in with my head. And I won the first two years and then the next year I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to do.’ And I moved the trampoline in close and like I could maybe just sit up here. And one of our camera guys was like, ‘That looks like a bug hitting the windshield.’
“Larry Johnson was judging. It was out in Salt Lake. And I did that and the crowd went crazy. And he picked me up like I was Muggsy (Bogues), like a little baby over his head and carried me around. And then I performed that every once in a while.”
Ribbing Dennis Rodman about Madonna
“I used to do this routine when I would start out as MC Hammer,” Zerrillo said. “This is dating myself. Then the music would turn to Madonna and I would tear off my MC Hammer stuff and have a cone bra and bicycle pants and do ‘Vogue.’ And it just so happened we’re playing the Bull,s and Dennis Rodman was dating Madonna at the time. And I ended that kind of skit in like big middle splits. And I did it right in front of their bench pointing at him and everybody on their bench.
“I mean, it’s hard to get the players involved when you’re doing something on the court. They’re afraid. But they were just killing him, and pushing him. and he came up and gave me a little high five in the crowd. And the crowd, that was one of the loudest skits that I’ve ever done. They were going crazy. So, it was fun.”
This story was originally published March 28, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
