Report: Three leading candidates for South Carolina coaching vacancy revealed

When Frank Martin was surprisingly let-go by the South Carolina Gamecocks, the next move became more important than any. According to Jeff Goodman of Stadium, the Gamecocks are honing in on their replacement for Martin.

“South Carolina 3 leading candidates, per source: Murray State’s Matt McMahon, Chattanooga’s Lamont Paris, former SC star and Wake assistant BJ McKie,” tweeted Goodman.

First, Matt McMahon led Murray State to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive iteration. He’s one of the most sought-after coaches in the nation. However, it’s been reported that he’s going be the next coach at LSU, so South Carolina won’t be hiring him.

Next, Lamont Paris suffered heartbreak at the hand of Illinois in the NCAA Tournament. While Chattanooga wasn’t able to defeat the Fighting Illini, it’s evident that Paris’ ability as a coach is highly-respected.

Finally, BJ McKie has been an assistant at numerous schools, but he’s never had the opportunity to be a head coach at the collegiate level. After the success Wake Forest has had since he joined their program as an assistant, perhaps the former Gamecocks star could return to the program where he made his name.

More on Frank Martin, South Carolina

Moreover, Frank Martin was fired after South Carolina finished this season 18-13 overall and 9-9 against SEC opponents. The Gamecocks dropped their first game in the SEC Tournament, losing 73-51 to Mississippi State on Thursday.

Martin first came to South Carolina in the 2012-2013 season. He has amassed a 288-201 record as a head coach. With the Gamecocks, he had a 171-147 career record, making one NCAA Tournament appearance. That NCAA Tournament appearance was a pretty memorable one, as the Gamecocks made it all the way to the Final Four. Martin was named the Coach of the Year by Collegeinsider.com that season. South Carolina also made the NIT in the 2015-2016 season under Martin.

Prior to joining the Gamecocks, Martin served as the Kansas State head coach from 2007-2012. He led the Wildcats to a 117-54 record, making four NCAA Tournament appearances. Interestingly, the Kansas State job is now open, as Bruce Weber has resigned from his position.