Unicyclist Red Panda, a popular halftime performer known for juggling ceramic dishes on her head and feet while riding a 7-foot unicycle, has provided a health update after suffering a scary fall at the 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday, July 1.
In a statement provided to ESPN personality Pat McAfee on Wednesday, Red Panda, whose real name is Rong Niu, revealed that she ‘severely fractured’ her left wrist after falling off her damaged unicycle during her halftime performance of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final, where the Indiana Fever defeated the Minnesota Lynx at Minneapolis’ Target Center on Tuesday. Niu broke the same wrist in 2013.
‘She took a fall at the very beginning of the show,’ Niu’s team said to McAfee. ‘Her left wrist was severely fractured at the same spot for the 2nd time. She was at the hospital for 11 hours last night.’
Niu’s team said the fall was caused by her faulty unicycle, saying, ‘the left (pedal) of her unicycle was damaged during transit.’
Niu has performed countless halftime shows at NBA and WNBA games, dating to 1993 and had performed during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. Shortly after beginning her performance at the WNBA game and letting go of a ladder she used to get on her unicycle, Niu fell off it and crashed to the floor. She instantly clutched her wrist on the floor and was attended to by medical professionals before being wheeled off in a wheelchair.
‘(Niu) is very grateful. She is on her way home now and the doctors in Minneapolis have recommended that as soon as she gets home, she meet with an orthopedic surgeon for the 2nd part of repair,’ the statement added. ‘Thank all of you for the kind wishes and support, it means the world to her. She much appreciates from her heart the support she is receiving. We’ll keep you all posted.”
Following the injury, Niu received an outpouring of support and get-well-soon messages. Caitlin Clark gave Niu a shoutout in an Instagram Live video posted by Sydney Colson as the Fever celebrated their Commissioner’s Cup win over the Lynx. ‘Red Panda, we love you,’ Clark said.
Niu appeared on Season 8 of ‘America’s Got Talent’ in 2013 and advanced to the quarterfinals before withdrawing for personal reasons.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
