Ahead of their first-round matchup with Clemson, McNeese State was a popular fan pick to become the next NCAA Tournament “Cinderella” basketball team. Some of that had to do with the roster Will Wade constructed, but a lot also had to do with viral student manager Amir Khan.

With Khan's popularity at an all-time high, the McNeese State basketball cheerleaders decided to get in on the act. The courtside supporters decided to represent Khan during the Cowboys' game against Clemson with socks showcasing the manager's face on them.

Whether the socks had anything to do with it or not, McNeese State came out firing in the game, holding Clemson to just 13 points in the first half. The Cowboys took a shocking 31-13 lead into halftime, limiting the Tigers to under 30 percent from the field.

Should Wade's team hold onto a victory, it will be the first NCAA Tournament win in McNeese State basketball history. The 2025 season marked the Cowboys' second consecutive March Madness appearance after not previously making it since 2002. Wade's work with the program has led to his own career resurgence, with the coach already agreeing to sign with NC State in the offseason.

As much work as Wade has put into the Cowboys, many also credit Khan for the team's success. The McNeese State manager gained fame for dancing the team out of the locker room with a boom box on his chest as their pre-game ritual. His personality has since developed a following online, generating over 7,000 Instagram followers at the time of their first-round game against Clemson.

Since discovering his new-found fame, Khan became the first student manager to sign an NIL deal. He managed to ink deals with TickPick, Insomnia Cookies and Buffalo Wild Wings, on top of launching his own merchandise.

The McNeese State basketball page also opened up his own biography page, giving him the nickname “Aura.” In it, they provide his famous quote, saying, “If they kept manager stats for rebounding and wiping up wet spots on the court, I'd put up Wilt Chamberlain numbers.”

With March Madness annually birthing new fan-favorite personalities, Khan is easily the frontrunner for the 2025 tournament star. Unfortunately for McNeese State fans, the gimmick will end as soon as their season does, as Khan is in his final semester. He is set to graduate in the coming months with a sports management degree.