MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The popular halftime show performer who goes by Red Panda fell off her unicycle and crashed to the court during intermission of the WNBA Commissioner's Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, unable to finish her show.
There was no immediate word on the extent of her injuries. She appeared to be grabbing at her left wrist after the fall — she fell forward off the unicycle onto the court — and was helped off the floor by wheelchair.
Red Panda, whose name is Rong Niu, is a Chinese American woman who comes from a family of performing acrobats. Her act is composed of her riding on her custom-built unicycle, which stretches about 8 feet above the court, and balancing custom-made bowls on her lower leg before flipping them atop her head.
She has performed at countless basketball games, including Game 5 of the NBA Finals last month in Oklahoma City.
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FILE - The WNBA logo is seen near a hoop before an WNBA basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
FILE - Rong Niu, also known as the performer Red Panda, performs at halftime during an NBA basketball game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Los Angeles Clippers in New Orleans, Jan. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman, File)
PHOENIX (AP) — Devin Booker scored 33 points, 20 in the first quarter, and the Phoenix Suns pulled away in the second half for a 129-102 victory over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
Dillon Brooks scored 18 points and Mark Williams had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who have won five of their last six. They bounced back from Wednesday’s loss at Cleveland. Booker, Brooks and Williams all sat the entire fourth quarter.
Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro each had 15 points for Phoenix. Reserve Jamaree Bouyea scored 12 for the Suns, who led by 28 points late in the game.
Booker finished 13 of 21 from the field — just 1 for 6 from 3-point range — and 6 of 7 from the free throw line in 28 minutes. He was 8 of 12 in the first quarter in scoring 20 of the Suns’ 32 points. It was Booker's highest-scoring quarter since April 2024, when he also scored 20.
The Suns led 62-56 at the half but opened it up in the third quarter, leading by as many as 18 before ending the period with a 97-83 lead.
Keegan Murray led the Kings with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Sacramento lost its fourth in a row, and sixth straight on the road to fall to 8-27.
Russell Westbrook had 17 points and six assists for the Kings, and Keon Ellis finished with 14 points.
Kings: Host Milwaukee on Sunday.
Suns: Host Oklahoma City on Sunday.
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Sacramento Kings guard Demar Derozan (10) fouls Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) goes up to shoot over Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks shoots over Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
