After a four-month recovery from a devastating wrist injury, iconic NBA halftime performer Red Panda made her long-awaited return Tuesday night at the United Center, during the Chicago Bulls’ matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Rong Niu, known professionally as Red Panda, has been a beloved fixture of basketball entertainment for over three decades. Her signature act, balancing and flipping bowls atop a seven-foot unicycle, has become synonymous with NBA halftimes. But in July 2025, during a performance at the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final between the Indiana Fever and Minnesota Lynx, Niu suffered a dramatic fall that fractured her left wrist and led to an extended hospital stay in Minneapolis.
The injury even cast doubt on whether she would ever perform again. Following surgery and months of rehabilitation, Niu remained largely out of the public eye. Her agent, Patrick Figley, confirmed that her recovery was slow but steady, and that she had quietly resumed rehearsals in late October.
On Tuesday night, Red Panda made her official NBA return during halftime of the Bulls–76ers game. She mounted her unicycle and flawlessly executed her bowl-flipping routine.
Red Panda performs at halftime in Chi-Town!
Watch on PHI/CHI on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/ZZlfF8v0mn pic.twitter.com/T21fm0IRHC
— NBA (@NBA) November 5, 2025
At 53 years old, and despite the setback, Niu remained determined to return.
“She never considered retiring,” said Figley. “She just needed time to heal. This performance was her way of saying, ‘I’m still here.’”
Red Panda first performed at an NBA game in 1993 and has since become one of the most requested halftime acts in professional sports. She is expected to continue performing throughout the NBA season, with appearances scheduled in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. Her team has confirmed that she will limit her travel early on to ensure continued recovery, but fans can expect to see her performances back in rotation.
