Basketball Court Dimensions
Basketball Court Dimensions
Basketball Court Dimensions: In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of wood, often maple, and highly polished and completed with a 10-foot rim. Outdoor surfaces are generally made from standard paving materials such as concrete or asphalt.
Basketball courts have a three-point arc at both baskets. A basket made from behind this arc is worth three points; a basket made from within this line, or with a player’s foot touching the line, is worth 2 points. The free-throw line, where one stands while taking a foul shot, is located within the three-point arc at 15 feet from the plane of the backboard. A foul shot is worth 1 point, but if a shot is made from the foul line while in play it is still worth 2 points.
International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, is the world governing body for basketball. Its acronym is formed from its French name Fédération Internationale de Basketball that is founded in 1932. This federation organizes and oversees international competitions such as the Basketball World Cup, the Olympic Basketball Tournament and the relatively young 3×3 Basketball. Included in their charter are the establishment of the official basketball rules, specification of basketball equipment and facilities required, transfer of athletes across 214 member countries as well as the regulations that govern the relationships between the different members of the basketball community.
- The playing court shall have a flat, hard surface free from obstructions with dimensions of 28 m in length by 15 m in width measured from the inner edge of the boundary line. All lines shall be drawn in white color, 5 cm in width, and clearly visible. Also, team bench areas shall be marked outside the playing court limited by 2 lines as shown in the image above.
- The playing court shall be limited by the boundary line, consisting of the end lines and the sidelines. These lines are not part of the playing court. Any obstruction including seated team bench personnel shall be at least 2 m from the playing court.
- The free-throw line shall be drawn parallel to each end line. It shall have its furthest edge 5.80 m from the inner edge of the end line and shall be 3.60 m long. Its mid-point shall lie on the imaginary line joining the mid-point of the 2 end lines.
High School Basketball Court Dimensions
Basketball court dimensions vary in overall length and width. In many areas of the country, older high school gymnasiums, in particular, have smaller overall size and layout than regulation. Many of these same gyms have varying backboard designs and measurements.
Even though College and High School courts may differ on overall size, the interior markings for the “Foul Line”, “The Key”, and “The Backboard and Rim” are the same.
Regulation Sizes – Official Measurements:
Court Size Overall
The overall size of a High School Basketball court is typically 84 feet long and 50 feet wide. Some Junior High School court will measure 74 feet long and 42 feet wide.
The Foul Line
For all courts, the “foul line” distance is 15 feet from the foul line to the front of the backboard. The “foul line” is 18 feet 10 inches from the baseline.
The Key
“The key” (sometimes called “the lane”) is 12 feet wide. Regulation courts have the backboard extending out 4 feet over the baseline into the key. A 6-foot arc (half circle) extends from the foul line away from the basket to complete the key.
The 3 Point Line (Arc)
College and High School – the 3 point arc is 19 feet 9 inches, with a straight line extending out 5 feet 3 inches (63 inches) from the baseline.
The Backboard and Rim
The regulation distance from the ground to the top of the rim is 10 feet for all levels of play. Standard basketball hoops under 300 are 6 feet wide (72 inches) by 42 inches tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches in diameter. The inner square on the backboard is 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.
NBA Basketball Court Dimensions
- The playing court shall be measured and marked as shown in the court (see below)
- A free throw lane shall be marked at each end of the court with dimensions and markings as shown on the court diagram. All boundary lines are part of the lane; lane space marks and neutral zone marks are not. The areas identified by the lane space markings are 2” by 6” inches.
- A free throw line shall be drawn (2” wide) across each of the circles indicated in the court diagram. It shall be parallel to the end line and shall be 15’ from the plane of the face of the backboard.
- The three-point field goal area has parallel lines 3’ from the sidelines, extending from the baseline and an arc of 23’9” from the middle of the basket which intersects the parallel lines.
- Four hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the sideline on each side of the court and 28’ from the baseline. These hash marks shall extend 3’ onto the court.
- Two hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the baseline on each side of the free-throw lane line. These hash marks shall be 3’ from the free throw lane line and extend 6” onto the court.
- Four hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) parallel to the baseline on each side of the free-throw circle. These hash marks shall be 13’ from the baseline and 3’ from the free throw lane lines and shall be 6” in length.
- Two hash marks shall be drawn (2” wide) perpendicular to the sideline, in front of the scorer ’s table, and 4’ on each side of the midcourt line. This will designate the Substitution Box.
- A Restricted Area shall be marked with a half-circle 4’ from the center of the basket ring and then parallel to the lane line to the face of the backboard with a solid two-inch line.
NCAA Basketball Court Dimensions
Overall Court Size
Basketball courts are fairly large in overall size. Most start with a 94 feet x 50 feet pad. The sideline is 94 feet and the baseline is 50 feet. If you want your court to look as accurate as possible, right down to the nitty-gritty details than plan for an even larger area (+6 feet all around) so that you can include the official’s area, team benches, etc.
All boundary lines and on-court lines are 2 inches wide with the exception of the low block located on the lane lines near the rim. The low block is 1 foot wide and 8 inches long.
Basketball Rim Height
The height of the rim (or goal) should be fixed at 10 feet from the floor to the top of the rim. This should be the height from high school up to college basketball and into the NBA. All rims are 1 foot 6 inches in diameter regardless of what level you are playing at.
Backboard Dimensions
Standard backboard dimensions are 6 feet wide by 3 feet 6 inches tall. For backboards found in gymnasiums, I would recommend a tempered glass board though they are quite pricey. They are by far the best material to use and the same material Spalding uses when creating backboards for the NCAA.
For a lower alternative that still offers a fantastic response, you can choose an acrylic backboard. It’s not quite as nice a feel as playing with a tempered glass board but it still has enough strength and rigidity to provide for amazing gameplay.
