Red Panda suffers scary fall during WNBA halftime show
A mishap occurred during Tuesday night's WNBA Commissioner's Cup Championship clash between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx. One of the best halftime performers the sports world has ever seen suffered an injury in Minneapolis' Target Center. Acrobat Rong 'Krystal' Niu, better known by the name Red Panda, rides a 7-foot-tall unicycle while flipping and balancing bowls on her head. She fell early during her act and eventually left in an ambulance, according to The Athletic's Ben Pickman and Chantel Jennings.
Advertisement
Red Panda started to walk off the court while grabbing her back, before a wheelchair was brought out to assist her. Fans around the country are devastated to learn of this development. It is also quite shocking to see this one-of-a-kind talent fall, given the aura of invincibility she has built for herself after spending decades amazing NBA, WNBA and NCAA spectators, among others.
Red Panda first emerged in the United States during the 1990s and then expanded her following with a memorable run on the long-running competition show, 'America's Got Talent,' back in 2013. Niu had to withdraw from the quarterfinals due to personal reasons, but she left her mark on the stage and went on to become an even more prevalent presence at halftime shows. An NBA insider nicely described the remarkable and enduring impact this veteran entertainer has had on the industry.
Advertisement
'She never expected to still be performing,' The Stein Line's Jake Fischer posted on X. 'A broken arm during practice almost led to Red Panda's retirement in 2015. The fact she's still been out there, crushing it, well past 50 years old, has been amazing. Hope she gets well soon and is back on the court.'
Red Panda recently performed in Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Finals, illustrating the type of appeal she continues to carry after all these years on tour.
Prayers are with Niu. Her supporters, of which there are many, earnestly await some good news.
Related: WNBA rumors: Houston still eyeing franchise despite expansion cities announcement
Advertisement
Related: Week 6 WNBA power rankings: Have the Aces finally found their identity?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Lexie Hull Reacts to Indiana Fever News on Sunday
Lexie Hull Reacts to Indiana Fever News on Sunday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever got some good news on Sunday following their disappointing 89-87 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday. Kelsey Mitchell was named an All-Star reserve for the upcoming 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis on July 19. Advertisement Mitchell, who is averaging a career-best 19.3 points on 45.5% shooting, 1.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 triples per game this season, will be joining All-Star captain Caitlin Clark and All-Star starter Aliyah Boston in what will be Mitchell's third consecutive appearance in the All-Star Game. In the loss to the Sparks, Mitchell posted 19 points on 8-of-17 shots, including three triples. Congratulations have poured in for the 29-year-old veteran, including a two-word message from Indiana teammate Lexie Hull. "yes ma'am 🥳" Hull wrote on Instagram, sharing the Fever's congratulatory post. Advertisement It is worth noting that Hull was one of the top WNBA players who received the most fan votes for the All-Star Game. She ranked eighth overall with 633,968 total votes, which speaks volumes about her popularity among the fans. However, since the media, players and coaches also vote to determine the starters and the reserves, Hull ultimately missed out on what would have been her first All-Star appearance. Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull congratulated teammate Kelsey Mitchell's All-Star selection. Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images The Fever will be well-represented in the All-Star Game, though, with no less than three players from the squad taking part in the festivities. As captain, Clark will get the opportunity to draft her own All-Star squad, which means that she could potentially be teammates with both Boston and Mitchell in the big game. Advertisement Related: Lexie Hull Steals the Show With Her Outfit for Fever-Sparks Related: Caitlin Clark, Fever Teammates React to Sophie Cunningham's Exciting Post Related: Coach Stephanie White Sends Clear Message to Fever After Ninth Loss This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Rob Dillingham Addresses ‘Chance' With Timberwolves for Playing Time
Rob Dillingham Addresses 'Chance' With Timberwolves for Playing Time originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Timberwolves have a talented roster of young players looking to make their case this summer for roles with the team. They'll include this year's first-round draft pick, Joan Beringer, and multiple draft picks from last year. Advertisement Second-year guards Rob Dillingham and Terrence Shannon Jr. are also featured on the squad, and both appeared on the court for the Wolves' main roster last season in just over 10.5 minutes per game. The future looks bright if these guards continue on an upward trajectory. Fans saw Shannon Jr. explode with a 25-point scoring outburst in February against the Los Angeles Lakers. Dillingham has also shown flashes of brilliance, including a 19-point, eight-assist performance against the Utah Jazz in January. Many Timberwolves fans believe he could replace aging point guard Mike Conley as the team seeks to further contend in the Western Conference. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4).Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images However, many individuals want to see Dillingham receive more playing time from head coach Chris Finch this season. That could be on the way, but first, he'll get to show any improvements or glaring weaknesses in a bit of an audition with some of the team's other young players in Las Vegas. Advertisement KSTP 5 Eyewitness News' Alec Ausmus shared a clip featuring Dillingham and Shannon Jr. discussing their opportunities for the team's main roster as they prepare for the NBA 2K26 Summer League. "I had the same mindset last year, and it's the same mindset this year. You can't really look at it like that because it might not go your way. So, I've been working hard, and I feel like obviously I do deserve, or not deserve, but I do feel like a chance is coming. It's up to me to make the most of it," Dillingham told reporters. Shannon Jr., who was Minnesota's No. 27 pick last year, said he's "working as hard" as he can to continue to prove himself to the coaching staff and has thought about an opportunity possibly being on the line. Advertisement The Timberwolves' front office believed in Dillingham enough to trade for him at last year's NBA Draft, making a deal with the San Antonio Spurs for their No. 8 pick. In his first season with Minnesota, he averaged 4.5 points, two assists, and a rebound per game. He also averaged 10.5 minutes of playing time per game. With more time on the court, many fans believe he'll emerge as a necessary piece of the Wolves' puzzle. Some feel that 37-year-old guard Mike Conley Jr. simply won't provide the solution to pushing past younger, more talented teams in the West, such as the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it's time for a change. Dillingham and Shannon Jr. will participate in the upcoming Summer League games in Las Vegas, beginning on Thursday, July 10. Advertisement Related: Timberwolves fans react to NBA 2K26 Summer League roster missing key player Related: Damian Lillard Joining Timberwolves After Bucks Release Would Be a Problem This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
WNBA Referees Under Fire Over Officiating Involving Angel Reese
WNBA Referees Under Fire Over Officiating Involving Angel Reese originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Chicago Sky came as close as possible to handing the Minnesota Lynx their first home loss of the season on Sunday. Advertisement Unfortunately for the Sky, who led by as many as 14 points and saw all five starters score in double figures, they were unable to slow down the dynamic duo that is Napheesa Collier and Kayla McBride. The Lynx duo combined for 46 of the team's points and made some huge plays down the stretch in what ended up being an 80-75 win for Minnesota. While the Sky likely aren't thrilled with the result, they must love the performance they got from Angel Reese. The second-year forward who was named an All-Star before the game finished with 16 points and 17 rebounds. However, fans around the WNBA are convinced that the officials cost her some points throughout the game. With all 16 shot attempts coming in the paint and Reese appearing to deal with some physicality, she was only awarded two free throws. Advertisement Something that fans took to social media to highlight. "Angel Reese must have the worst whistle in the #WNBA. I'm not the only one seeing this and say this. No excuse for the Sky lost tho," wrote one user. "Angel Reese would be averaging 20+ pts a game if the refs called the games fairly," added another. "Angel Reese does not be getting any calls lol she stay getting hacked," observed one user. "If you ever needed a game to confirm the 'disconnect' between Angel Reese and the refs 🤣🤣🤣🤣. This is just egregious," added another fan. "Refs treat Angel Reese like she Russ & Bron to she strong for foul calls lol," joked one user. Advertisement Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese (5).David Gonzales-Imagn Images It likely also doesn't help ease the suspicions that the officials are swallowing the whistle when it comes to Reese, considering that the Lynx had 17 free throw attempts compared to the Sky's eight. Regardless, what's done is done. Reese and the Sky will look to bounce back against the Washington Mystics on Tuesday in a game scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET. Related: Angel Reese's MVP Odds Get Major Update After All-Star News This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
