Harding, 22, will join the NBL outfit at the end of the SEABL season after impressing Kings coach Andrew Gaze at rookie camp with his athleticism and versatility.

It caps a remarkable rise for the 200cm swingman, who spent last season with Werribee in the Big V competition.

“I was over the moon because it’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time,” he said.

“It was a bit of a surprise, but I was stoked.

“It’s a bit overwhelming at the moment.

“But I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to have the opportunity to work with the coaching staff and the rest of the guys.”

Gaze said Harding, originally of Batemans Bay, had the potential to become a “legitimate NBL player” after being a scholarship holder at the Australian Institute of Sport in his junior days.

“All the coaches liked Darcy,” he said.

“He’s a good athlete and he’s got a good feel for the game. He’s continuing to work on his game, and we feel that with his size and athleticism he’ll become a quality player and one that is worth our investment.

“The goal ultimately is to cultivate his talent and turn him into a legitimate NBL player.”

Bandits coach Brad Chalmers said Harding’s recruitment by the Kings was reward for hard work and hoped it would give his charges a lift as they attack the final third of the season.

“He’s worked really hard in the last 12-18 months,” he said.

“It was a great opportunity for him (at Werribee) to just play and he worked really hard on his body.

“He was really keen to come back to us this year and his maturity and attitude to basketball has just gone through the roof.

“It should give the guys a lot of positivity that if you work hard, anything can happen.”

The Bandits are sitting fifth on the ladder ahead of Saturday night’s championship rematch against Mt Gambier at the Lauren Jackson Sports Centre.

With a 7-8 win-loss record, the Bandits desperately need to defeat the second-placed Pioneers (9-6) with a trip to Mt Gambier to come in a fortnight.

“It’s a pretty critical game,” Chalmers said.

“Both teams probably haven’t played as well as last year in terms of their overall records, we’ve both been a bit up and down.

“These next couple of weeks against these guys will probably dictate who gets a play-off spot.”