“They paid the necessary expenses, like any other kid who goes to prep school and gets the $30- or $40,000 scholarship,” Ergul said. “I think that’s the truth.”

If he received the amount of money that Karakas says he did, it would cast serious doubt on his eligibility for the Wildcats. The N.C.A.A., which does not comment on specific cases, is reviewing Kanter’s amateur status. He was not cleared by the N.C.A.A. to play for Kentucky on a preseason team trip to Canada in August.

Kanter’s case is complicated because he did not sign a contract with the club.

Kentucky Coach John Calipari did not return a call to his cellphone seeking comment, but he told The Sporting News in April that Kanter didn’t receive any money. Kanter couldn’t be reached for comment. His father, Mehmet, a prominent professor in Turkey, did not return e-mail requests.

“There was no money, from what we’re seeing, what the kid is saying and the family, and what Nike is saying,” Calipari told The Sporting News. “There’s a lot of misinformation out there. You’ve got people talking about it that don’t know, just heard a rumor.”

Karakas said the club provided Kanter and his family with between $100,000 and $150,000 starting when Kanter was 14 and he and his family moved from the Turkish capital of Ankara to Istanbul.

While some young prospects remain eligible if they receive only room and board, Karakas said Kanter’s family received more because he was an elite prospect.

“For Enes, he was a different guy from all the players because if you have a good player and he’s coming with his family we are renting them a house and giving him pocket money,” he said, putting that amount at between $20,000 and $25,000 a year.