Red Panda Injured During WNBA Halftime Show at Commissioner’s Cup Final
Legendary halftime performer Red Panda was injured during her unicycle act at the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final on July 1, 2025.
🗝 Key Takeaways
- July 1, 2025: Red Panda fell during her unicycle performance at WNBA Commissioner's Cup halftime.
- Injury involved: left wrist; taken off in wheelchair; no further medical details released yet.
- Legacy: A 30+ year veteran, iconic in both NBA and WNBA halftime entertainment.
- Fan support: Widespread hopes for a fast recovery, emphasizing her cherished status.
🐼 What Happened
Rong “Krystal” Niu, better known as Red Panda, was performing during the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx at the Target Center on July 1, 2025. About a minute into her act—riding an approximately 7‑foot unicycle and balancing metal bowls—she fell forward, landing hard on the court and clutching her left wrist. She was then helped off in a wheelchair.
Injury Status
No official update has been released on her condition yet. At the time of reporting, it’s known she fell and appeared to injure her left wrist, but the full extent of the injury (e.g., fracture, sprain) is yet to be confirmed .
Who Is Red Panda?
- A legendary halftime performer who’s been entertaining NBA and WNBA crowds since 1993.
- Her act involves riding a towering unicycle while balancing and flipping a stack of bowls—an act famously described as the “best halftime act in basketball”.
- A family background in acrobatics, she appeared on America’s Got Talent in 2013 and Britain’s Got Talent in 2025.
- This isn’t her first injury: she previously broke a wrist practicing in 2013 .
