CHAMPAIGN, Ill. When Brad Underwood needed to know whether a player could be trusted, whether they’d hold up under pressure, whether they’d fit a locker room built from transfers and international recruits, he had a system. That system was Profile.

Illinois reached the Final Four, its first since 2005, with a roster built through the lens of Profile’s behavioral platform. The approach was spotlighted in a CNN Sports feature published April 1, 2026, written by Dana O’Neil, tracing how Underwood went from skeptic to convert and crediting Profile’s evaluations with shaping decisions he otherwise wouldn’t have made.

“These teams are like a Fortune 500 company. And like any good CEO, you need to know your people. What interests them, how they succeed. If you don’t know that, how can it work?” - Brad Underwood, Head Coach, University of Illinois

The piece highlights a specific recruiting decision that nearly didn’t happen. Underwood passed on transfer Marcus Domask until a Profile evaluation changed his mind on the spot. The evaluation said nothing about Domask’s shooting or athleticism. It focused on character, coachability, and competitive drive. Domask went on to start 38 games, earn Big Ten Newcomer of the Year honors, and help Illinois reach the Elite Eight the following season.

The article also covers Playbook AI, Profile’s AI coaching feature, which lets coaches analyze behavioral data in real time. Ask it how to motivate a specific athlete. Ask it how to approach a difficult conversation. Ask it which role suits a player best. Underwood called the AI tools “really helpful”, a notable endorsement from a coach who spent four decades leading on instinct and old-school toughness.

About Profile
Profile (profilebehavior.com) is a behavioral intelligence platform serving NCAA athletic programs and corporate organizations. Built for leaders who need to make real decisions about real people, Profile gives coaches and executives a clear picture of how every person on their team is wired: how they communicate, what motivates them, and how they hold up when the stakes are high. Playbook AI turns that data into actionable guidance coaches can use in the moment. Founded by Chad Brown, a former coach who saw the limits of gut instinct, Profile has been adopted by programs including the University of Illinois, Purdue, and the Dallas Cowboys.

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The full CNN article is available at:
https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/01/sport/illinois-final-four-brad-underwoods-evolution