Performing under the vibrant lights at a recent Miami men’s basketball game, Rong Niu, affectionately known to audiences as "Red Panda," captivated fans once again. Clad in a shimmering pink sequined dress, she completed her trademark seven-minute act to cheers and chants as the crowd expressed their admiration. Following the performance, the arena buzzed with excitement; cameras clicked, a band member’s enthusiastic declaration of "I love you, Red Panda!" echoed, and the Hurricanes' dance team gathered for photographs with her, embodying her popularity at sporting events.
Red Panda’s presence has been a staple at basketball halftime shows for decades, beginning with her debut in 1993 at a Los Angeles Clippers game, and extending across NBA, WNBA, and college basketball stages. Despite her extensive experience, the heartfelt support she has received especially since her unsettling fall during a WNBA game last July has been profoundly moving.
After a recent performance in Miami against Stanford, Niu reflected on the nature of this support: "I feel so much support," she said. "It’s beyond support — I don’t quite have the words to express it. It goes beyond appreciation."
Originating from a family of acrobatic performers in China’s Shanxi province, Niu’s earliest engagement with balance and performance began at age seven. It started when her father encouraged her to balance bowls and bricks on her head, a skill that would form the foundation of her later artistic acts.
Her distinctive routine involves riding a specially designed unicycle elevated approximately eight feet above the basketball court. While maintaining this precarious balance, she manipulates custom-crafted bowls, initially balancing them on her lower leg before swiftly flipping them onto her head, captivating viewers with her precise control and poise.
Her fall occurred during the intermission of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx. Mere minutes into her set, Niu toppled from the unicycle and crashed onto the court. The incident left her lying motionless for several minutes before she was assisted off the floor in a wheelchair. Medical evaluation later confirmed a fractured left wrist.
On recounting the fall, Niu described the complexities of her condition post-accident: "I realized I was disoriented, not just feeling pain in my wrist," she explained, gesturing toward her injured left wrist, which was swollen and extremely painful. "They asked if I could walk, and I said yes, but after attempting to stand and move, I think I was nearly losing consciousness." She spent 11 hours hospitalized in Minneapolis, with staff members from the Lynx team providing continuous support throughout her stay.
Contemplating what might have led to the accident, Niu visited her dressing room and inspected her unicycle. Though she carefully transports her equipment, she discovered one of the pedals was slightly bent, potentially damaged during transit—either in security checks or during the flight—though the exact cause remains uncertain.
Ordinarily, she would conduct a thorough examination of the unicycle prior to a performance, testing rotations and components; however, on this occasion, she did not realize the pedal had sustained damage. This impairment may have contributed to her loss of control during her act.
The fall was a difficult experience, requiring surgery and a recovery period of about four months. However, the outpouring of public support, including heartfelt messages on social media from fans and players alike, as well as personalized cards and gifts, provided significant encouragement.
Demonstrating her determination to return, Niu took to the stage again for an event on October 23 streamed on Amazon Prime and later appeared at an NBA game between Chicago and Philadelphia on November 1. Despite residual thoughts of the fall triggering anxiety as she begins to pedal, she maintains focus on her performance.
As audiences increasingly choose to watch her routine live rather than attending to other arena activities during halftime, Niu feels a blend of gratitude and resolve. "I want to show that I can do this," she affirmed. "Even when I couldn’t perform, the crowd still chanted my name. That means a great deal to me. I feel deeply thankful, and although words fail to capture this sentiment fully, their support truly touches my heart."