Visa issue costs AP Player of the Year Zach Edey

Canadian NCAA basketball sensation Zach Edey secures his second consecutive AP Player of the Year award, marking him as the first back-to-back winner in over four decades. The Purdue Boilermakers' towering center, Zach Edey, known for his prowess in the paint and at the free-throw line, seldom misses out on scoring opportunities. However, his Canadian nationality has barred him from capitalizing on significant NIL earnings.

Standing at 7-foot-4, the senior player is unable to directly profit from his name, image, or likeness in the U.S. due to F-1 visa regulations for international students. Simply put, international students are not permitted to receive payment while on a student visa.

Following his second consecutive selection as the AP National Player of the Year, a feat achieved by no other player since Ralph Sampson's three-year streak from 1981 to 1983, Edey advocated for revisions to the rules and regulations.

N.C. State's D.J. Burns Jr. has reportedly earned over $100,000 in the last three weeks following the team's Cinderella run through the ACC and NCAA tournaments, as revealed by Burns' agent Ken Caldwell to On3.


However, it's worth noting that international students aren't entirely prohibited from earning money. They can still profit from "passive" engagements such as jersey sales or licensing for EA Sports video games in the U.S., though these typically make up only a small portion of their NIL earnings.

In line with these regulations, Daps, an NIL company partnering with Edey, has released 150 trading cards featuring Edey for fans to bid on. This release complies with NIL rules as it's considered passive income; Edey isn't actively involved in promotion or signing, merely monetizing his NIL passively.


Source Sportsnet : Edey says he's ‘lost out on a lot of money' due to visa, NIL regulations
Source CBC : Canadian NCAA hoops star Zach Edey wins 2nd straight AP player of the year