"Pay him more","Handing Clemson an a** whooping": Fans react to Amir 'Aura' Khan before McNeese pulls off major March Madness upset

No. 12 McNeese State Cowboys are bringing attention from all corners during their March Madness run, which saw them defeat No. 5 Clemson Tigers 69-67 in an upset win in the NCAA Tournament First Round on Thursday. The news was quickly met with coach Will Wade taking up the job at NC State after the ongoing March Madness run of the Cowboys.

Before Thursday's game, student manager Amir "Aura" Khan is garnering immense attention on the internet following his viral video in which he can be seen leading the Cowboys basketball team out of the tunnel. He's seen holding a boom box and playing rap songs.

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Fans on the internet rushed to the comments section of the viral video, which has seen over 300K views.

One of the reasons for such viewership is because Khan became the first student manager to have an NIL deal.

"Pay him more lol," one fan reacted.

One fan senses worry for Purdue, who will be up next facing McNeese State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

"Handing Clemson an a** whooping, Purdue gonna get handed to next," the fan wrote.

"Bro did I jsut here aura tf," another wrote.

"That boy Amir is 🔥" one added.

"Amir Aura Khan is crazy😭😭," another wrote.

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Amir "Aura" Khan shares insight on leading McNeese State out of tunnel

During an interview with Associated Press, Amir "Aura" Khan revealed how the whole parade in the tunnel started which saw him singing along to tracks like Lud Foe's "In & Out," and the team following him before they took on the court.

"Not only did I know the song but it is one of my favorite songs," Khan said.

“So yeah, I just rapped a few of the lyrics. Some of the 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."

Khan has also made sure to tap on this immense popularity and is using this to endorse his own T-shirts. Moreover, he has also signed several endorsement deals like with Buffalo Wild Wings, TickPick and Insomnia Cookies, according to Yahoo Sports.

His popularity will remain the center of attention as McNeese go about their surprising underdog run in March.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav