【What does it mean to take the cheese?】McNeese Manager Amir Khan Might Be the Biggest March Madness Star in 2025

McNeese student basketball manager Amir Khan took the internet by storm when he became the first manager to ink a name,What does it mean to take the cheese? image and likeness (NIL) deal.

After No. 12 McNeese upset Clemson to secure its first NCAA Tournament win in program history, Khan’s star shined even brighter. He might be the biggest story of this entire March Madness.

Thus far, there hasn’t been a Doug Edert or Jack Gohlke rising from the ashes into stardom—despite everybody knowing they’ll be selling insurance in the next few months.

It’s still early in the tournament, but the superstar seems to be Khan: the swagged-out basketball manager who confidently leads his team out of the tunnel with an oversized boombox before every game.

Khan’s boombox has been sponsored by TickPick, a fast-growing ticketing app, as well as Buffalo Wild Wings. He also landed an endorsement with Insomnia Cookies.

But while his economic impact is unrivaled among college basketball managers, his aura goes much deeper than his nickname.

McNeese cheerleaders have been wearing socks with his name on them. After McNeese pulled off its improbable upset, Fox’s John Fanta interviewed Khan in the locker room—not a player, but the student manager.

Unless someone on Friday’s slate of March Madness games can take the torch by pulling off a bigger upset, going unconscious from three, or finding something cooler than a boombox and chains to make an entrance, it looks like the 2025 tournament belongs to Khan.

McNeese will play Purdue in the second round on Saturday at noon. The Boilermakers were tested against a trendy upset pick in High Point but ultimately held them off with a convincing 75-63 victory.

Purdue is a 5.5-point favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook against McNeese—a much closer margin than either team had in their first round.

The McNeese Cowboys are gaining respect on the court. But off the court? Their manager has the opportunity to win every single headline throughout March.