‘Aura’ is McNeese student manager Amir Khan’s middle name. No, it’s not his birth name or name in his government ID, but the one he earned. The McNeese State Cowboys’ support is also making headlines with his team’s impressive win over Clemson and the HC Will Wade’s uncertain future. Khan went viral for leading the Cowboys out of the tunnel before a mid-season game in February with a giant boom box. His ‘rapping’ along to Lud Foe’s ‘In and Out’ song and the moves, with players following him to the court, attracted many eyeballs and fans just loved the energy.
When asked about the unique idea, Amir said, “So yeah, I just rapped a few of the lyrics. Some players saw that I was rapping it and they just kind of hyped me up telling me, ‘Hey, just keep going, rap for us!’ We had the camera on us, but that’s usually not a new thing. So yeah, I just I just rapping and having fun with it.” Not to mention, he has been a lucky charm for the Cowboys. Wait, what? Yes, ever since the 22-year-old sports management major joined the team, McNeese snatched up 59 wins in the two seasons. Amir Khan’s rapport with everyone on the team was very much apparent. Not to mention, his other activities also make him an integral part of the Cowboys locker room.
While he is popular amongst the fans, players, coaches and everyone related to college basketball, the student manager signed a marketing deal with Topps. Through the new endorsement contract, the $31 Billion company Topps is releasing an Amir ‘Aura’ Khan trading card. Amir Khan reacted with the keyword – AURA – all in caps. And he is among the first student managers ever to sign NIL deals!
— Amir Khan (@amirk_23) March 21, 2025
The aura continued on the Big Dance as well where Amir once again did the custom boombox walkout, changing the tunes to NBA YoungBoy’s ‘No Switch‘. Despite being an underdog in the matchup, his confident walk and mood-setting music won over the hearts. The Cowboys’ cheerleaders wore socks with Amir Khan’s face on it to amp-up the tempo. Fans took pictures with him, and the team, of course, entered the court with lots of enthusiasm.
Apart from being the face of the 2025 March Madness, Amir Khan has already made a name for himself. Khan is in his second season as a student manager. But his charismatic personality and omnipresence made him the most followed college personality other than the athletes. He has more than 22,000 followers on TikTok, 44,000 on Instagram and 6,000 on X. It was obvious that Khan had inked some NIL (name, image, and likeliness) agreements considering his popularity.
As part of his deal with Buffalo Wild Wings, the company gave Khan a customized boombox. Amir also has deals with TickPick and Insomnia Cookies. Even though Amir Khan’s NIL deal might not help the McNeese State commercially, having a trading card surely signifies how the 2024-25 season has been for Will Wade’s Cowboys. A collectable item that will remind fans of the historic season the team is currently having.
How Amir Khan affects McNeese State Cowboys’ preparations
Amid his journey to becoming a social media sensation, he plays a vital role in the team’s preparations. Coach Wade calls him incredible while guard DJ Richards Jr sheds light on the efforts Amir Khan put up for the side. “The managers, they really don’t get credit for what they do,” Richards told the AP. “They follow us all year. Rebound for us. They get up early and then they still have to go to class and come back and rebound again.”
But Amir is not tired of this work, rather he finds a funny side of the rebounding in practice. “If they kept manager stats for rebounding and wiping up wet spots on the court. I’d put up Wilt Chamberlain numbers,” Khan said. Energetic, charismatic, cherished and even motivator for the Cowboys, Amir Khan has been a driving force for the McNeese team.
Despite the efforts, unfortunately for the McNeese State Cowboys, they couldn’t get to the Sweet 16. They lost 76 – 62 in the NCAA division I round of 32 against 4-seed Purdue.
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