“Red Panda, we love you!” said Indiana Fever star Cailtin Clark as she and the rest of the Fever squad sent their best wishes to the performer on Sydney Colson’s Instagram Live. The WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final was supposed to be a shining moment for ‘Red Panda’, as she was once again set to leave a memorable impression at half-time for the crowd at the Target Center. Instead, she suffered a scary fall while performing on her custom 8-foot-tall unicycle. She grabbed her left wrist in visible pain and had to be taken away from the court in a wheelchair. It would have been a comfort for the performer to know that, despite the importance of the game, she was still in the minds of the Indiana Fever squad.

Even though she made headlines due to her accident, ‘Red Panda’ has been a major part of the NBA and WNBA world for a while now. But many are unaware of the person behind the breathtaking stunts. Let’s learn about her then.

Who is the ‘Red Panda’?

‘Red Panda’, aka Rong Niu, is a Chinese-American woman who has garnered fame as an acrobatic performer. Her famous act involves her riding a 7-foot-tall unicycle. If that wasn’t challenging enough, she also has to balance multiple metal bowls on her feet and head. During the act, she will attempt to transfer all the bowls from her feet to her head with a throw. The perfect accuracy when she catches them all is enough to leave anyone mesmerized. As basketball reporter Scott Polacek highlighted, she is consistently met with enthusiasm in every arena she goes to.

Rong Niu was born sometime between 1970-1971. She was raised in Taiyuan, located in Shanxi, China, by GuiZhang Niu and Jiang LongDi. Both of Rong Niu’s parents were acrobats, too! So the talent runs in the family! GuiZhang Niu gained fame for his pole act. This involved twisting the frame of the body into different poses, especially a human flag. Meanwhile, Rong Niu’s mother, Jiang LongDi, was a fourth-generation aerial talent. She gained fame as a high-wire juggler. Her task was made especially difficult by the fact that she had to keep her balance while in a mandated army uniform!

Soon, the couple got married and had their daughter. The government provided the family with a one-bedroom apartment. GuiZhang made some alterations to the same to make it more appropriate for a family of acrobats. He tore down the ceiling’s rafters to create practice space for all.

It wasn’t long before GuiZhang Niu got his daughter started on a routine. The acrobat act Rong Niu started learning, was derived from a traditional Chinese act. If that wasn’t challenging enough, her father reportedly ramped up the difficulty. GuiZhang Niu placed the bowls rim to rim, and each dish had to be balanced by its curving lines.

Right from the age of 7, Rong Niu began flicking the dishes skyward while standing on the floor. Practicing like this built up the strength of her legs. That would later come in handy when learning the unicycle.

GuiZhang served as an instructor at the Taiyuan Art School near the family’s house in the mornings. After school, he would train his daughter. His effort in making the ‘Red Panda’ who she is today certainly cannot go unmarked.

Rong Niu joined the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe at the age of 14! She travelled the world with the group, going through several different places located in Europe, Asia, and Africa. When she was 16, the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe performed for 3 months at the Elitch Gardens amusement park, located in Denver. The American crowd left a memorable impression on her mind. After all, the memory of the people giving out applause with each bowl landing on top of her head was as good a core memory as one could have.

As she later recalled, “America, the audience gave me the most reaction. They’re very outgoing, very cheerful, even if I make a mistake. I decided, it’s so special, that country.” She had never received such enthusiasm for talent. The US was the only place where she felt her talent was appreciated, hence she decided at the tender age of 19 to relocate to Florida! Later, she shifted to San Francisco, California, where she continues to live today.

When did the ‘Red Panda’ start performing for the NBA and WNBA crowd?

‘Red Panda’ got her first NBA stint back in 1993. After sending several tapes to different places, Rong Niu was asked to perform at a Los Angeles Clippers game. A cancelled act had forced them to find a last-minute replacement, and the ‘Red Panda’ swooped in as the saviour.

The Clippers brought her in at the Memorial Sports Arena early in the morning. After all, it was important to check that her bowls and unicycle wouldn’t damage the hardwood. During the performance, the Clippers fans just couldn’t get enough of her. They got to their feet a total of four times! As Niu recalled, “Pretty much every time I flip… I can’t believe this!” After all, those who had come to watch a basketball game would not have expected an acrobatic performer tossing her four bowls cleanly atop her dome.

The fame she garnered from her debut performance paid off. By the 1994–95 season, ‘Red Panda’ had appeared in over 40 NBA games. Soon after that, she became a regular in almost all NBA games and even developed a cult-following amongst fans. By 2019, the Philadelphia 76ers began annually opening their schedule to Niu. They reportedly invited her to choose any two games that best suited her availability. She also became a known name amongst the Golden State Warriors squad. When discussing one of her performances, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr once said, “It’s ridiculous. It’s unbelievable. It’s one of the best halftime shows. She’s fantastic.”

Want to know just how important Rong Niu was to the Golden State Warriors? Back in January 2018, Red Panda’s custom-built unicycle was stolen! A 7-foot unicycle, just taken away. Right from the baggage claim at San Francisco International Airport. That unicycle was no cheap thing, as it cost a whopping $25,000. After the Warriors heard about the theft, however, they themselves paid to replace the unicycle! Pat Figley, ‘Red Panda’s agent, appreciated this gesture, and said that “It’s incredible that they’re doing that. Their generosity is amazing. It just blew me away. And it lifted her spirits”.

What is the Red Panda’s Net Worth?

Unfortunately, Rong Niu has not chosen to make her personal net worth public knowledge. However, as highlighted by NBA reporter Jake Fischer back in 2019, the ‘Red Panda’ reportedly commanded somewhere between $2,500 and $3,000 per five-minute performance. ESPN’s Darren Rovell claimed that, at the height of her career, Niu commanded a whopping $5,000 for an appearance. Seems like all those years’ worth of effort under GuiZhang paid off. Literally.

For over 22 years, Rong Niu has continued entertaining basketball fans during half-time shows and allowed them to be awestruck by something other than the players’ performances. One hopes that she recovers from her recent fall and gets back to the basketball court soon.