How big is a basketball court? Of the two major American-invented sports — baseball and basketball — only one has gained worldwide popularity. We play baseball across parts of the globe, but we play basketball worldwide. You can play with as few as two people and as many as ten. Shoot hoops indoors and outdoors and on any surface hard or flat enough to bounce a ball.
Indoor courts are usually made from hardwood, though other, more easily-maintained surfaces are gaining in popularity. Outdoor courts can be either asphalt or concrete. You can put a permanent basketball court just about anywhere you would like. Don’t have the room for a full-length court? Fitting just a half court into your driveway, backyard, or commercial gym would be just as useful.
So, have a space in mind and wondering “What are the dimensions of a basketball court?” Let’s take a look at the standard sizes for every level of basketball, from high school all the way up through international competition.
NBA Basketball Court Dimensions
The National Basketball Association, better known as the NBA, boasts the largest court dimensions of any level of basketball — domestic or international. The outer dimensions are 94 feet long by 50 feet wide. The half court line is, as the name would suggest, halfway between each end line. In the middle of the half court line is a tip-off circle with a six-foot radius, which often sports the home team’s logo.
The key is 16 feet wide and 19 feet from the baseline to the foul line. A semicircle with a six-foot radius extends from the foul line. Some courts have the other side of the half-circle drawn in a dotted line inside the key to complete the circle and create a clear boundary for any jump balls.
The backboard protrudes four feet out from the baseline, and the rim of the basket hangs 10 feet off the ground. Subtracting the four feet overhang from the 19-foot length of the key, we get the familiar 15-foot distance from the foul line to the front of the backboard. It’s a misconception that the foul line is 15 feet from the center of the basket. The backboard itself measures six feet wide and 42 inches high.
Inside the key, a four-foot arc is aligned with the center of the basket to designate the restricted arc. If a defender is inside this semicircle, he cannot draw a charging foul. Along both sides of the key, lines are drawn three feet apart to create the standing positions for other players during a free throw attempt, starting with a box that is seven feet from the baseline and one foot wide.
Outside the key, the three-point line forms an imperfect arc stretching one side of the baseline to the other. The arc isn’t a perfect circle because it would run out of bounds on the sides of the court.
Instead, the three-point line runs in a straight line from the baseline out 16 feet, nine inches, at which point the line begins to curve. The straight lines are an even 22 feet from the center of the basket, and on the arc, the distance is 23 feet and nine inches.
Starting at the baseline and running 28 feet toward the center of the court, a line bounds the team bench area. The line also acts as the starting place for inbounds passes after timeouts and fouls.
WNBA Basketball Court Dimensions
The Women’s National Basketball Association or WNBA’s court dimensions are identical to the NBA court in every way except the three-point line. Instead, the distance is equal to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) at 22.15 feet from the center of the hoop. WNBA teams share arenas and playing surfaces with the NBA, which is why it’s no wonder the court dimensions are so similar.
Why do I need consider the backboard overhang distance?
In indoor at home basketball court installations, the backboard maybe on the wall. Hence, the backboard overhang will automatically be zero. However, in most backyard basketball court installations, you have some discretion. The smaller the backboard overhang the more room you have for your three-point line.
However, the larger the backboard overhang, the more room you have to run behind the backboard. If you are running toward the hoop, you have more space to stop before hitting a fence, landscape border, etc. If possible, for 20’ x 24’ courts we recommend a 2’ backboard overhang. For courts larger than 30’ x 30’, we would recommend a 3’ or larger overhang. To avoid injuries, the ideal overhang size is 4 feet. In addition to a larger overhang, pole padding is always recommended.
What is a good size for a backyard basketball court?
ModuTile most popular backyard basketball court size is a 30×30 ft half-court floor kit. This provides enough room to play above the 3-point line while not breaking the budget. However, the answer boils down to budget and space availability.
As for the size of a full backyard basketball court, we would recommend our 46×78 ft full court basketball floor kit. It is smaller than regulation, but it has the room for small children and adults to play comfortably.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT BASKETBALL COURT SIZES?
If you’re looking at installing a backyard basketball court, the court size will depend on how much space you have. Can you only fit in a half-court or is there space for a full court, FIBA regulation size? Besides the space you have and the budget you’re working with, there’s a few things to consider when selecting what basketball court size you’d like at home. The same goes for a school or sports organisation looking to resurface or build a new court.
DreamCourts can help you design and install an indoor or outdoor basketball court for any size. For a backyard basketball court, you’d likely be looking at a court that measures between 7 to 8 metres long and 5 to 15 metres wide, depending on whether or not you’ll include in a three-point line and if it’s NBA or FIBA rules you’re following. A common small court measures 5 by 9 metres.
DreamCourts offer a range of common basketball court sizes, from small set ups to full-sized pro courts. Or we can design and build a court to fit any space. We also have multi-court basketball systems that help you maximise the available space to use for different sports. Having a basketball court at home is a great way to keep up practice, remain fit and entertain the whole family.
It’s also a convenient practice space for the budding champion, especially when it’s equipped with pro-level dimensions.
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