Viral McNeese Hoops Manager Has His Own Manager Now

Yahoo

20-03-2025

McNeese State didn't wait for March to go dancing—or to go viral.
In late February, a video of the Cowboys bopping onto the court before their game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi garnered millions of views thanks to team manager Amir Khan's performance rapping the lyrics of Lud Foe's 'In & Out.'
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Since this is 2025, that explosion of interest precipitated a flood of promotional opportunities. Khan has since signed NIL deals with Insomnia Cookies, TickPick and Buffalo Wild Wings, who sent the team a new boom box to use as they emerge for Thursday's first-round game against Clemson.
The team didn't disclose the financial terms of those tie-ups, though Khan said the cash is significant to him. His position is otherwise unpaid. Special assistant to the head coach Reed Vial has stepped in to help manage the inbound—and negotiate for Khan.
'It's been the craziest s— I've ever seen in my entire life. So we've been leaning into it,' Vial said. 'I'm here as a layer for him to be able to do his thing, and let's make some money off of it, and he's getting compensated.'
If McNeese pulls off the upset, the price is only going up.
Khan has been lugging a boom box through the tunnel before Cowboys games since he joined the team in 2023. He had no idea the February moment had hit it big—getting picked up by a series of progressively larger outlets like an ocean food chain diorama—until his cousins told him he was on Barstool Sports' site.
'That's when I got the idea that this was bigger than I thought,' Khan said.
He's still hoping to collaborate with Under Armour or Nike.
Khan initially applied for the role after hearing that Will Wade was taking over as coach. Before joining McNeese, Wade led LSU—two hours east of Lake Charles—until he got the boot in March 2022 amid allegations of recruiting violations. Wade has been 'extremely supportive' of Khan embracing his newfound opportunities, Khan said.
So have Khan's parents, who signed up for nearly every social media site to see the posts tracking their son.
Now, Wade is reportedly on the cusp of jumping to North Carolina State. Khan, meanwhile, is set to graduate later this year, with aspirations of becoming a coach himself. For now though, they and the rest of their Cowboy posse will try to make the most of their shining moment. The brand sponsors hustling to join the crew hope the ride is just getting started.
'The value of this collaboration only increases the further that McNeese advances,' TickPick content strategy lead Kyle Zorn said. 'We are rooting for McNeese.'
Outside of Clemson affiliates, who isn't?
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