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Blue speakers, hip-hop and lots of swagger. that’s all it takes Aamir “Ola” Khan Becoming the most talked-about figure in college basketball — but he doesn’t even play.
Khan is the student manager for the McNeese Cowboys men’s basketball team. There are no three-pointers. No dunks. Just vibes. Now, as the Cowboys return to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year, he’s bringing the boom box with him.
The Lake Charles, La., native went viral in February 2025 after posting a video of him leading the Cowboys on the field against Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi while playing Lud Foe’s “In & Out” from a blue speaker hanging around his neck.
McNeese State is taking March Madness by storm, and their student manager Aamir “Ola” Khan is playing a big role in it. Khan is currently a senior at McNeese University and has served as the student manager for the men’s basketball team for the past two years. Khan will be with the team through the 2024-2025 season (…)
The video went viral on social media. As McNeese locked up a spot in the 2025 NCAA tournament, Khan’s reputation snowballed.
“It feels like a dream and one day I will wake up,” Khan told front desk sports. “It doesn’t feel real.”
his profile McNeese official website Describing him as “the most watched college basketball manager in the country.”
During the Cowboys’ 2025 championship game, cheerleaders wore shirts with his face on them, while players wore socks. Khan became the unlikely mascot in a Cinderella story that captivated college basketball fans across the country.
Where is Khan? He kept a sense of humor about the whole thing.
“If they kept managers’ stats on rebounding and wiping wet spots on the court, I would list Wilt Chamberlain’s numbers,” Khan said in his McNeese resume.
McNeese gets another March Madness bid
The Cowboys earned the No. 12 seed in 2025 with a 28-6 record and a 19-1 Southland Conference record. They won the Southland Conference Championship – their second straight title under then-coach Will Wade.
McNeese quickly became a fan favorite, largely because of Khan, when they Upset No. 5 seed Clemson In the first round. It was the school’s first-ever March Madness win.
Purdue eliminated the Cowboys in the Round of 32, ending their chances of reaching the Sweet 16 for the first time. But by then, Khan had become a household name.
One year later, McNeese finished the 2025-2026 regular season with a 28-5 record, tied with Stephen F. Austin. SFA’s 20-2 record in conference play was slightly better than McNeese’s 19-3 record.
March Madness hasn’t even started yet, and an unidentified fan at the ACC Tournament has already posted one of the hottest moments of the college basketball season. What is his choice? A 90s rock track played at full volume during free throws. The clips are everywhere and honestly, we can’t stop watching them. That moment (…)
But the Cowboys March Madness bid secured Defeated SFA in the Southland Conference Championship – their third consecutive Southland Championship.
They once again earned the No. 12 seed and will face No. 5 seed Vanderbilt on March 19. This is another David versus Goliath showdown. Khan gets another chance to steal the show.
Amir ‘Aura’ Khan cashes in on 20+ brand deals
Khan’s viral fame has not only earned him a following. It translates into real money.
According to Front Office Sports, he has signed more than 20 endorsement deals through the 2025 event. His partners include Buffalo Wild Wings, TickPick, TurboTax and Insomnia Cookies, brands that typically go after star athletes rather than people carrying gear bags.
Khan’s favorite of all the deals: a bobblehead made in his likeness and a Topps sports card.
“I collected sports cards as a kid,” Khan said. “To have my own and to have one for Topps, it’s special. I didn’t think there was such a thing.”
Interest in the brand became so great that Khan had to hire a manager to handle it all.
The NCAA has never prohibited managers from signing NIL contracts, but managers rarely have enough of a public profile to attract endorsements. Khan is believed to be the first student manager to benefit from a Championship NIL deal.
Student managers typically do not receive any compensation, although some may receive scholarships. The NIL era begins in 2021, allowing players, as well as viral figures like Khan, to profit during March Madness.
All March Madness Roads Back to McNeese Basketball
Khan’s path has not been a straight line since last year’s tournament.
After the 2025 campaign, he followed coach Wade to North Carolina State University. He readmitted as a sophomore due to credit transfer issues — a frustrating setback for someone who had already completed his coursework.
But the detour did not last. After a few months, Khan returned to McNeese. In a few semesters he will complete his degree.
His return means he’s right back where the magic began and on time for another tournament.
As for his future, Khan is interested in a career in sports media or coaching, and he hopes McNeese will hire him as a graduate assistant next year.
He grew up in Lake Charles, just a few miles from campus, and immersed himself in the game on the sidelines during college.
But his sudden fame opened unexpected doors. Khan is open to social media as a potential career path, although he’s still figuring out what that might look like.
“Everything that happened last year opened the door to being in social media as a career. I didn’t know what that would be like,” Khan said.
In recent years, the traditional landscape of college sports has undergone tremendous shake-ups and changes. The main catalyst? Changes to the rules that prevent student-athletes from receiving financial compensation are long overdue. Historically, strict rules have prevented athletes from exploiting their identities and sparked heated debate. Athletes are believed to profit from their (…)
One thing is clear: When the Cowboys take the field against Vanderbilt on March 19, all eyes will once again be on the guy who didn’t play a single minute but somehow stole the show.
