Red Panda injured in dramatic fall during halftime at Indiana Fever vs Minnesota Lynx Commissioner's Cup

A scary moment happened Tuesday night during the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx at Minnesota’s Target Center. Legendary halftime performer Red Panda, known for her high-flying unicycle and bowl-balancing act, took a sudden fall just seconds into her performance.

Medical personnel rushed to her aid as she lay on the court, clutching her wrist. The beloved entertainer was eventually left the court, waving at fans. The arena was silent for a while as concerns about her condition lingered.

Halftime icon Red Panda suffers a serious fall during the Indiana Fever vs Minnesota Lynx Commissioner's Cup final

Red Panda, whose real name is Rong “Krystal” Niu, was less than a minute into her routine when she fell from her seven-foot-tall unicycle, a staple in her iconic act. According to The Athletic’s Ben Pickman, the fall happened shortly after she released the ladder used to climb onto her unicycle.

She appeared shaken and held her left wrist on the ground, needing assistance from medical staff.

Per CBS Spoers, she was wheeled away. An arena worker later confirmed she was transported in an ambulance.

The 50-year-old acrobat has been a fixture in basketball arenas since 1993. She has earned a devoted following across the NBA, WNBA, and college basketball for her seemingly impossible act of flipping and stacking metal bowls on her head— all while riding a towering unicycle.

ESPN and MinnPost reporters described the incident as a “hard spill” that left her motionless for several moments, clearly in pain.Her journey has included more than just basketball stardom. After her father's battle with esophageal cancer, Niu took a break from performing in 2013. She later told Sports on Earth, “I couldn’t stay away,” explaining her return to the stage in 2015 after helping her mother through illness.This year, she reached new heights in entertainment by advancing to the semifinals of Britain’s Got Talent and making a cameo in Netflix’s Running Point. She was also featured in Season 8 of America’s Got Talent before stepping away for personal reasons.Also Read: Jaren Jackson Jr suffers turf toe injury one day after signing $240M deal with Memphis GrizzliesWhile her injuries are still being evaluated, basketball fans and fellow performers have taken to social media with an outpouring of support. The sports world is united in hoping that one of its most cherished performers makes a full and speedy recovery.