McNeese State may have lost, but it produced the biggest winner of the NCAA Tournament.

Amir Khan transformed from an unknown student manager to a national sensation in a matter of days.

McNeese State's fairytale run in the NCAA tournament might have ended after the underdog 12-seed from Lake Charles, Louisiana — coming off a stunning victory over No. 5 Clemson — was defeated by No. 4 Purdue on Saturday, but the Cowboys' legacy will endure in more ways than one.

Their second-round loss to the Boilermakers on Saturday did little to quiet the growing buzz around team manager Amir Khan, a 22-year-old from Lake Charles who watched the game sitting beside none other than Spike Lee.

When asked about his signature phrase, Khan replied, 'If they kept manager stats for rebounding and wiping up wet spots on the court, I'd put up Wilt Chamberlain numbers.

It’s the same quote printed on the back of one of Khan’s now highly sought-after t-shirts. There are also socks featuring his face, among other merchandise, as Khan’s fame has soared almost overnight.

The wave of attention began a few weeks ago when a video of Khan carrying a boombox and rapping with the players on their way to the court went viral. It reached its peak in the days leading up to March Madness.

“When it got posted on Monday I tried to stay off social media,” Khan told NBC News in a locker room interview Friday. “But Monday night, when I checked my phone, it was blowing up and everybody was sending me the video.”

He then laughed, adding, “I was like, okay, so this is something bigger than I thought it was.”

Khan has since gone on to sign NIL deals — unheard of and unprecedented for a team manager — starting with Buffalo Wild Wings, Tick Pick and Insomnia Cookies. 

According to the McNeese State social media pages and CBS Sports, Khan has added a slew of other endorsements this week including Under Armour and TurboTax. 

Khan told NBC News it’s nice to see the support and validation after contributing to the team in so many ways over the years.

“Whether it’s doing the laundry…or on the court, rebounding for the players, setting up and packing for road trips— that’s a lot [of] what we do, and we do a lot of little things off the court.”

The man simply known as ‘Aura’ was described by some of his teammates as “a living legend.”

But he’s not done just yet. McNeese State coach Will Wade is reportedly leaving for NC State this offseason and, according to CBS Sports, is bringing Khan with him as a graduate manager. 

As for the city of Lake Charles, it’s a big boost and welcomed positive spotlight after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Laura back in 2020.

The Category 4 hurricane devastated large parts of the city, leading to years of rebuilding and creating a lasting connection with a historic natural disaster.

It means the world to me," Khan said when asked about the boost to his hometown. "It’s the only city I’ve ever known. So for Lake Charles to be on the map now, and McNeese — it means a lot that it’s finally getting the attention it deserves.