Popular unicycle performer Red Panda injured at half-time of WNBA game

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"Unicycle Performer Red Panda Injured During WNBA Halftime Show"

Popular unicycle performer Red Panda injured at half-time of WNBA game analysis cover image The Guardian 8.5
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Original Article Source: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/02/red-panda-halftime-injury-wnba-commissioners-cup
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Rong ‘Krystal’ Niu, widely recognized by her stage name 'Red Panda,' suffered an injury during her halftime performance at the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship game held in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. Known for her remarkable unicycle act, where she rides a seven-foot-tall unicycle while balancing and catching metal bowls on her head, Niu has been a celebrated figure in basketball entertainment since her debut in 1993. The incident occurred when she fell from her unicycle, prompting immediate attention from medical staff. Witnesses reported that she remained on the court for a period, cradling her left wrist before being assisted off in a wheelchair, raising concerns among the audience and players alike about her well-being.

Following the incident, players from the Indiana Fever, including Caitlin Clark, expressed their concern for Niu during an Instagram Live session. Clark conveyed heartfelt wishes for Niu's recovery, highlighting the emotional connection that the performer has fostered in the basketball community over the years. Niu's long-standing career has seen her being hailed as one of the best halftime acts in the sport, a title emphasized by Dime Magazine. After a brief retirement in 2013 to support her father during his battle with cancer, Niu returned to the stage in 2015, sharing that the energy and challenge of performing were irreplaceable parts of her life. As fans, players, and fellow entertainers await updates on her condition, they reflect on the joy she has brought to countless games and the unique place she holds in the hearts of basketball enthusiasts everywhere.

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Source URL: https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/jul/02/red-panda-halftime-injury-wnba-commissioners-cup

One of the most popular acts in half-time entertainment sustained an injury Tuesday night in Minneapolis as Rong ‘Krystal’ Niu, better known under her stage name of “Red Panda,” needed to be assisted off the court after falling during half-time of theWNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship gamebetween the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx.

Niu has delighted basketball fans in numerous NBA, college basketball andWNBAvenues since her debut in 1993. The ‘Red Panda’ rides a seven-foot-tall unicycle while catching and balancing a large number of metal bowls on her head during her act.

Reporters for MinnPost and ESPN confirmed that Niutook a hard spill, falling from her unicycle during Tuesday’s performance. The popular performer laid still for some time, cradling her left wrist before being taken off the court in a wheelchair.

After the game, several Indiana players, including Caitlin Clark, shared their concern for Niuduring an Instagram Livehosted by teammate Sydney Colson.

Caitlin Clark jumps into Syd Colson’s IG live to send recovery wishes to Red Panda, who fell off her unicycle during her halftime performance.Caitlin: Red Panda, if you’re watching, we love you. 🫶Syd: I don’t think Red Panda’s watching my shit. 🤣https://t.co/yp2AxEWzy0pic.twitter.com/xzbttc5pvq

“We hope she’s OK,” Clark said, echoing a sentiment felt across the basketball world for a performer who has long been part of the sport’s rhythm and spectacle.

Once called “the best halftime act in basketball” by Dime Magazine, Niu retired in 2013 to support her father while he battled cancer. She practiced occasionally during this timeframe and suffered her first wrist injury.

After she mourned her father’s death due to esophageal cancer and helped her mother deal with an illness, Niu made her return in 2015 as she revealed in a Sports on Earth interview that she couldn’t stay away.

“I missed it,” Niu said. “The crowd. The energy. The challenge. From my heart, I feel like this is a part of my home. Although I lost my father, I still have this part of my life with me, just like before.“

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Source: The Guardian