The NBL will introduce a Tasmania franchise as the league’s 10th team, with an announcement set to come on Friday afternoon, sources told foxsports.com.au.

The team, which is yet to be named, will play its first season in the NBL during the 2021-22 season, sources say.

As it stands, the NBL currently has nine teams, with the South East Melbourne Phoenix the newest among the league’s ranks.

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The new Tasmania team will play its games at a redeveloped Derwent Entertainment Center, sources said, with some fixtures also set to take place in the north of the state.

The NBL has previously featured three different Tasmania-based franchises, all of which are defunct: the Devonport Warriors (1983-1984), the Hobart Devils (1983-1996), and the Launceston Casino City Tigers (1980-1982).

The Mercury was first to report that a Tasmania team had been awarded a licence by the NBL.

Tasmania hosted a the NBL Blitz — the league’s preseason tournament — in 2019.

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Olgun Uluc is the Senior Basketball Reporter for Fox Sports Australia. Twitter: @OlgunUluc