"Red Panda, we love you": Caitlin Clark sends heartfelt message to legendary showstopper after unfortunate halftime injury

Caitlin Clark didn’t play in Tuesday night’s Commissioner’s Cup Final between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx, a high-stakes matchup featuring MVP frontrunner and fellow All-Star captain Napheesa Collier, which featured a halftime show by fan-favorite, Red Panda.

But during halftime at Target Center, Red Panda, whose real name is Rong “Krystal” Niu, took a hard fall just moments into her act. As she was beginning her signature unicycle performance, she lost balance and tumbled, immediately clutching her left wrist. She left the court in a wheelchair.

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According to Fieldhouse Files with Scott Agnes, Red Panda was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation and further tests. After the game — which the Fever won 74–59 — Caitlin Clark sent support to the performer.

“Red Panda, we love you,” Clark said on Sydney Colson’s Instagram Live after the win.

Known for her stunning act where she flips bowls onto her head while riding a unicycle, Red Panda has been a staple of basketball halftimes for decades. She also appeared during Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers.

Red Panda first appeared in the NBA in 1993. She has been performing at NBA, WNBA and even college basketball games.

Caitlin Clark celebrates Fever’s Cup victory

Although sidelined with a groin injury, Caitlin Clark was courtside supporting her Fever teammates, who pulled off a commanding win without her on the floor.

After the final buzzer, she showed her excitement and pride in the team through a tweet on X/Twitter:

“My girls did their thing !!!!!! So proud!! Lfggggg❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️,” she said.

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The Fever started slow, trailing 20-12 after the first quarter, but surged ahead with a dominant 20-7 second quarter. They kept up the momentum after halftime, outscoring the Lynx 42-32 to seal the win.

Indiana’s frontcourt led the way, with Natasha Howard earning Cup MVP honors after tallying 16 points and 12 rebounds. Aliyah Boston added a double-double of her own with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

In the backcourt, Kelsey Mitchell and Aari McDonald each scored 12 points, while Sophie Cunningham contributed 13 off the bench.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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Edited by John Ezekiel Hirro