The Tall Blacks will be the next national sports team to showcase their skills in Tauranga when they play South Korea as part of a three-game series in July.

Basketball NZ announced today the national team will play the one-off international against the 31st-ranked Koreans on July 17 at ASB Arena, in between matches at Wellington and Auckland.

The Tall Blacks game against China in 2013.

The announcement comes a week after the Black Sticks outclassed Japan in a three test series in Mount Maunganui.

Basketball New Zealand chief executive Iain Potter says the organisation is excited to bring the sport further afield than Auckland, in what he believes is a first for Tauranga.

'Tauranga Basketball's Mark Roger [Tauranga City Basketball general manager Mark Rogers] was very enthusiastic about hosting a Tall Blacks game in Tauranga. So he put his hand up quite a while ago and said ‘we'd be keen, we'd be keen' and keeps reminding us what a wonderful place Tauranga would be to host a test,” says Iain.

'He was full of enthusiasm and ensured us there would be plenty of support for the game. He says there will be plenty of willingness and interest from the public and the wider area.”

It will be the Tall Blacks' first series in New Zealand since hosting Venezuela in 2007. Since that time, the men's national team has played only three games at home, all against Australia in 2008, 2009 and 2013.

Iain says logistically Tauranga is a suitable fit for the test series, with Basketball NZ looking to bring the Koreans into the country through Wellington before departing from Auckland.

'Tauranga is accessible and relatively sensible, so from a logistical perspective it works for us.”

Potter says it is exciting and will strengthen ties in the Asian region for more games in future.

Following the July series, the Tall Blacks will head to Korea for a return series, before a four-team tournament in China, a four-nation series in Lithuania and two games against Serbia, before the World Cup in Spain, starting on August 30.

The Tall Ferns women's' national team will play a three-game series in South Korea in August, before a four-nation tournament in China.