I agree that most rich GT donors are not former GT athletes. And most former GT athletes like me are not rich donors. The NCAA rules still prohibit donors as well as former student athletes from involving themselves with any recruitment of a student athlete prospect, and former student athletes are for life. They cannot be involved in any prospect recruiting in any manner, even after a letter of intent is signed and until the prospect attends the first day of practice or the first day of class. Tech just came off a 5-year NCAA basketball probation for a certain former basketball S/A on the NCAA finals team and then NBA player who provided cash to a recruit prospect.
After enrollment and attendance, the benefits rule kicks in for the student athlete. Then there is the employment rule that says the S/A has to actually do the work for which employed, at the same wage as non-S/A's. Coaching legend has that Lew Alcindor and Artis Gilmore did not have college scholarships, but were compensated by being given high paying jobs outside the school, one as city assistant parks and recreation director. This resulted in the Gilmore rule in the mid-seventies to prevent such high-paid no-work jobs. Not sure how NIL plays regarding NIL contracts, especially rewarding performance (NCAA prohibited) or no-work at high wage NIL deals.
And I assume the same NCAA rules apply to recruiting prospects on the transfer portal. GTAA is heavily invested in sports compliance and I hope they are monitoring our programs closely. We are still on the NCAA radar from the previous mens basketball coach. And success draws attention on how accomplished. In the old days, it took 5 coaches to agree to report NCAA violations, but now with AI and social media and pressure to win, a trigger for an NCAA investigation may be easier to do.
A simple set of NCAA rules is published for athletic boosters at DII UVA-Wise.
https://www.uvawise.edu/sites/default/files/attachments/pages/2020-10/Athletic-Booster-Brochure.pdf. I enjoy watching DII sports, since they are not so much influenced by NIL and transfers and especially TV and media.. My grandson is playing football and baseball at DII UNC-Pembroke in the fall after a 4* public high school athletic career and 4.6 GPA. He loved both sports and DI schools would not make him an offer to play both.