Fan-favorite entertainer Red Panda appears to be well on the mend.
Red Panda, the beloved unicycle performer whose halftime acts have become staples of both men’s and women’s basketball games, expects to return during the 2025-26 season across multiple top leagues. Pat Figley, Red Panda’s agent, revealed in a memo to ESPN on Sunday that Red Panda is back practicing again and anticipates being able to perform during the coming men’s and women’s college basketball seasons and the coming NBA season as well.
“We are sending out this note to thank everyone for their heartfelt wishes to Red Panda for a speedy recovery from her fall,” Figley said in the memo. “It was a very serious injury and she did require surgery. She appreciated all the sincere follow-up. It was amazing and very touching. She really appreciates all of the support. She is recovering well and is practicing. She is looking forward to performing this season.”
Red Panda, whose real name is Rong Niu, injured herself in a fall during a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game in early July. She fell off her unicycle and landed on her wrist, thus rendering her unable to continue with her performance as she was eventually wheeled off the floor (video here).
Shortly after the injury occurred, we got an idea of the severity of Red Panda’s injury. Now we know that it was serious enough to require surgery and a lengthy recovery period.
Red Panda is such a well-loved figure in the basketball world that one top NBA team even stepped in to replace her unicycle when it was stolen a few years back. Thus, many fans will be happy to hear that Red Panda is progressing well on her road to recovery.
