I think the Edey fiasco was more of an exception then the norm. Just last year BYU paid Egor Demin around $2 million I believe, know for certain he got $1m minimum and he's from Russia, has to be the hardest place to get your visa and NIL. Seems like if they get a work visa as opposed to a student visa they can get NIL. Since CHL players are deemed pros, maybe they can get work visas instead of student ones/ Same thing goes for Kasparas at Illinois. Here's what Chat GPT gave me:
Zach Edey, a Canadian basketball player who starred at Purdue University, was unable to fully capitalize on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities due to U.S. visa restrictions. As an international student on an F-1 visa, Edey was prohibited from earning income through NIL deals within the United States. The F-1 visa allows international students to study in the U.S. but restricts them from engaging in off-campus employment, including NIL activities, unless specific authorization is granted .
Sports Business Journal+7SBNation.com+7Bleacher Report+7Bleacher Report+1Fox Sports+1
Edey expressed frustration over these limitations, noting that he missed out on significant financial opportunities that were available to his American teammates . While he could earn passive income, such as a share from jersey sales, and participate in NIL activities when outside the U.S., these options were limited compared to the full range of opportunities accessible to domestic players .
Fox Sports+1Sports Litigation Alert+1
In contrast, Egor Demin, a Russian basketball player at BYU, managed to engage in NIL activities despite also being an international student. Demin's situation was unique; he had previously signed a professional contract with Real Madrid at the age of 15, which raised questions about his amateur status. However, BYU's compliance office worked with the NCAA to address these concerns, and Demin was cleared to play . It's possible that Demin's prior professional experience and the specific terms of his engagement with BYU allowed for a different visa classification or special authorization that permitted NIL participation.