Indigenous Round clash a double celebration for Hawks rookie

The 23-year-old Southland Sharks product made the leap across the Tasman to play with the Hawks this season, turning a development player opportunity into Tall Blacks selection.

He's also a proud Maori man, which makes the chance to celebrate the Indigenous history of both Illawarra and New Zealand - who'll be wearing a Maori design strip - a rare privilege.

The timing also couldn't be be better for Harris, who was named in his first New Zealand squad for the upcoming Asia Cup qualifiers on Wednesday.

"It's awesome, it's always been one of my goals," Harris said.

"To hear it was incredible and seeing everyone else to react to it shows all the love and support I have back home and here at the Hawks.

"I'm stoked. Every kid in New Zealand always grows up wanting to play for the Breakers and the Tall Blacks. It didn't work out how I wanted it to [with the Breakers].

"I had to go and make opportunities elsewhere and that's why I came here. I'm reaping the rewards so far and I'm really looking forward to getting out there on Sunday.

"Any time that that Maori culture is celebrated it's a win for all the Maori people back home and, being here, getting to celebrate the Aboriginal culture is also a big win.

"One round's pretty good but I think it's also just a stepping stone for what can be a much bigger picture for both indigenous cultures."

Like most young Maori kids, Harris grew up playing rugby league before pursuing his hoops dreams.

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While the sport in New Zealand faces the same herculean task of emerging from the shadow of the national football codes as it does in Australia, Harris says things are moving in the right direction.

"Basketball's the fastest growing sport in New Zealand," Harris said.

"The national Maori basketball tournament only finished last weekend. There were more than 200 teams from under 9s all the way up to Masters.

"It's huge and it's awesome to see the older generation still competing and having fun with it and you've got all the young up coming guys and girls, it's awesome to see."

The game at the WEC, the Hawks final outing at the venue this season, will see both Aboriginal and Maori cultures celebrated prior to tip-off.

Hawks assistant coach and indigenous programs manager Tyson Demos - who is also president of Australian Indigenous Basketball - said it was important to make the event a duel-celebration.

"This is the Australian and New Zealand national basketball league and obviously the Maori culture is a very, very proud indigenous culture," Demos said.

"It was something I wanted to help acknowledge, having Hyrum Harris in the team as a proud Maori man. I felt that we owed it to him to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture but the Maori culture as well.

"What better way than to do that against New Zealand. It's going to be awesome to celebrate those two beautiful cultures on the one night."