The frontrunners to become the next NC State basketball head coach appear to be McNeese State's Will Wade and Tennessee's associate head coach in former beloved Wolfpack guard Justin Gainey. Kevin Keatts was fired on Sunday morning following his eighth season at the helm in Raleigh.

Exactly 345 days ago, NC State was celebrating its first ACC tournament championship in decades, the precursor to a miraculous Final Four run. That postseason surge earned Kevin Keatts a contract extension and an automatic raise, seemingly setting him up for future success in Raleigh.

NC State basketball head coach Kevin Keatts was fired Sunday. Here are 10 candidates to replace Keatts in Raleigh.

In the eyes of many Wolfpack faithful on social media, McNeese State's Will Wade is the candidate of choice when it comes to the active NC State basketball search for a new head coach. The 42-year-old has won over 70 percent of his games across a combined 11 years leading four programs.