Rong “Krystal” Niu, better known as Red Panda, made a triumphant return to NBA halftime shows Tuesday night in Chicago, flipping bowls atop her head while riding a unicycle at the United Center.
Fans of the Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers greeted her with thunderous applause. The legendary performer completed her signature bowl-flipping-on-a-unicycle routine, marking her first NBA appearance since suffering a fractured left wrist.
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The injury happened on July 1 during the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx. Niu spent 11 hours in a Minneapolis hospital after the fall and underwent surgery, then months of intense physical therapy and conditioning to recover. Her agent, Patrick Figley, said she eased back with an Oct. 23 Amazon Prime event and a few university shows before stepping back into the NBA spotlight.
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Red Panda’s United Center set was a showstopper. She balanced custom-made porcelain bowls on her lower leg, flipped them into stacks and steadied them atop her head, the same precision that has made her a halftime staple since debuting with the Clippers in 1993. The Bulls celebrated the moment on X: “Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee’s BACK 🔴🐼. Iconic unicycle performer Red Panda returns to the NBA halftime floor tonight in Chicago!”
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Her comeback wasn’t just a feel-good moment; it was proof of resilience. Niu’s return followed a brief soft reappearance on Prime and came after months sidelined by the fracture, yet she moved with the same confidence and grace that made her a fixture at regular-season games and even the recent NBA Finals.
Chicago beat Philadelphia that night, and for many fans the highlight wasn’t the final score but watching Red Panda reclaim her place as the GOAT of halftime performances. Welcome back, Red Panda coming soon.
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