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Amir 'Aura' Khan Makes Decision on College Basketball Future After Will Wade Takes NC State Job

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | Last updated Mar 22, 2025 4:19 PM ET

One of the best things about the NCAA Tournament each year is the power it holds to create mythical figures in the sport. Whether it's a hot-shooting player, a dominant big man on a Cinderella team, or in the case of this year, a student manager, March Madness is special for the people it highlights.

In 2025, it was McNeese State Cowboys student manager Amir 'Aura" Khan who stole the show early in the tournament with his walk-out swagger. While the No. 12 seed Cowboys upset the No. 5 seed Clemson Tigers in the first round, Khan was able to take advantage, reportedly cashing in with over six figures of NIL deals from various companies.

Now, with recent reports emerging that McNeese State head coach Will Wade will be leaving the school to accept the head coaching job for the NC State Wolfpack following the Cowboy's tournament run coming to a close with a 76-62 loss to Purdue, there has been rising speculation about what the future holds for Khan.

According to CBS Sports' Matt Norlander, all signs point towards "Aura" Khan joining Wade at NC State.

"I spoke with him afterward, and it sounds like he is going to follow Will Wade to NC State and be a graduate assistant with additional roles and responsibilities to be determined," Norlander said.

While it's not common for there to be this much intrigue around the moves made by a student manager, when you have the current clout that someone like Khan does, it is noteworthy.

After McNeese upset the Tigers in the first round, Khan revealed NIL deals with Buffalo Wild Wings, Insomnia Cookies and TickPick, per Fox Sports' John Fanta. Khan has also been posting ads for companies to his growing X account. These include Turbo Tax and The Formula Bot. Khan credited the McNeese State players for helping his business ventures to grow.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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