Are you and your family interested in turning part of your backyard into an outdoor basketball court?
If so, there are several considerations to make when designing the playing surface space.
Not only do you need to determine the right size of the basketball court, but you also need to be mindful of all applicable lines and court dimensions. You want everyone who plays on it to have fun while you can decide what court dimension best fits your goal.
In this blog post, let’s explore the elements that form the foundation of successful outdoor courts! There are different leagues across the world that have different sizes.
We will look at National Basketball Association (NBA), Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), College (NCAA), International Basketball Federation (FIBA), high school, recreational and 3×3 basketball court sizes.
The different basketball court dimensions and what they mean.
Basketball courts come in many sizes, and the various basketball court dimensions may be used depending on the playing surface you’re interested in using.
The court dimensions are measured from each boundary line.
You’ll notice the three main leagues in North America all use the same dimension while internationally the court dimensions are a bit smaller. High school, recreational and 3×3 basketball courts are considerably smaller.
Basketball Court Size in Feet:
– NBA/WNBA/College (NCAA) basketball court – 94 feet long and 50 feet wide.
– FIBA basketball court – 28 meters (91.9 feet) long and 15 meters (49.2 feet) wide.
– High school basketball court – 84 feet long and 50 feet wide.
– Recreational basketball court – may be as short as 75 feet and 50 feet wide.
– 3×3 basketball court – 36 feet long by 49 feet wide, basically a half-court-sized basketball court.
Generally speaking, basketball courts with larger dimensions allow for more space for players to maneuver and create interesting plays that take advantage of the extra area provided.
However, international competitions prefer slightly smaller courts and recreational courts tend to be smaller because they are easier to manage and can be accommodated by smaller facilities.
Explanation of the key points in regard to court markings
Basketball court lines are a key component when understanding the game of basketball.
These court lines and circles are used to denote areas on the court that have specific rules associated with them (i.e. the three-point line, free-throw line, end line, half-court line, etc).
The three-point line (3-point line)
The three-point line (3-point line) is situated at a set distance from the basketball hoop and denotes where shots taken beyond this point will yield three points instead of two.
Basketball Court Size in Feet:
– NBA three-point line – 23 feet 9 inches from the basket. 22 feet in the corner.
– WNBA three-point line – 22 feet 1.7 inches from the basket. 22 feet in the corner.
– College (NCAA)/ FIBA three-point line – 6.75 meters (22 feet 1.8 inches) from the basketball hoop. 6.6 meters (21 feet 7.8 inches) in the corner.
– High school/ Recreational three-point line- 19 feet 9 inches from the basketball hoop.
– 3×3 basketball three-point line – 22 feet from the basketball hoop.
The 3-point line really depends on the court dimensions you’re looking at for your space.
The free-throw line
Also known as the foul line is the standing position for a player that has just been fouled while in the act of shooting.
The free throw line distance is generally measured from the center of the basket or backboard depending on the basketball court diagram that you’re choosing. It’s an area marked by 12 parallel lines which signify where players can shoot penalty shots (“free throws”) after being fouled in certain situations. Knowing these basic measurements helps players understand how best to take advantage of their outdoor home court space when playing
– NBA/WNBA/College/ High school free throw line – are the same distance at 15 feet from the center of the basket.
– FIBA free throw line – 4.6 meters (15 feet) from the backboard.
– Recreational free throw line- This may vary but usually falls in the range of 13 to 15 feet.
– 3×3 basketball free throw line – 15 feet from the center of the basket.
The BASKETBALL “key”
The “Key” or “Free Throw Lane” which might also be referred to as the free throw lane on a basketball court is the rectangular restricted area directly underneath the basket.
It is defined by a half circle (also referred to as the free throw circle) at each end of the rectangle. It is located between the free-throw line and the baseline. The key serves as an area for offensive players to use during play and also defines where defensive players standing positions during the play.
– NBA/WNBA – 12 feet wide and 16 feet long, defined by a 6-foot semicircle.
– FIBA – 4.9 meters (16 feet) wide and 5.8 meters (19 feet) long, defined by a 1.8 meter (6 foot) semicircle.
– College – Width varies between 12-15 ft, 6-foot semicircle.
– High school/Recreational – 12 feet wide and 16 feet long (some recreational courts may differ in length or width to accommodate different-sized courts), defined by a six-foot radius.
– 3×3 basketball – 8 feet wide and 16 feet long, defined by a three-foot radius.
The center circle (also known as the tip-off circle)
The center circle (also known as the tip-off circle) is a circle around the half-court line where jump balls are held at the start of each quarter or half of play and also serves as a reference point for players to know their designated spots on the basketball court during certain types of plays.
– NBA/WNBA/College/High school/ recreational – all are the same size at 12 feet in diameter.
– FIBA – 3.6 meters (11 feet 9.72 inches) diameter.
– 3×3 basketball uses a six-foot radius or half circle.
Half-court line
Every basketball court will have a half-court line (also known as mid-court) that divides the court into two halves and usually runs in the centre of the court from one baseline to the other.
The half-court line is typically painted on with acrylic paint or drawn with chalk and is an important feature of any basketball game as it marks out where players need to stand for offense and defense. The only basketball court that isn’t divided by a half-court line is a 3×3 basketball court since it’s designed as half of the traditional basketball court.
Restricted Area
Some basketball courts have a half-circle or four-foot arc that is located on basketball courts in front of the basket where players draw charging fouls.
These restricted areas are typically found on collegiate and professional-level courts. This area is referred to as the “restricted arc” or “no charge zone”. It is a radius circle that surrounds the basket and players are not allowed to enter this zone without generally being called for a charging foul.
– NBA/WNBA/College/3×3 basketball – All the same size at 4 feet radius in front of the basketball hoop.
– International Basketball Federation (FIBA) – 1.2 meters (3 feet 2.4 inches) radius.
– High school/ recreational – No restricted area.
Finding the right basketball court dimensions for you
An outdoor court is a great investment for your backyard, providing hours of fun and entertainment for both you and the kids.
Deciding which playing court dimensions to choose can be daunting, especially when there are many available sizes and dimensions to consider. Above we’ve covered some helpful information on different basketball court sizes and dimensions so that you can make an informed decision about which size would work best in your space.
You’ll see there is a noticeable difference in the different basketball court dimensions. Everything from three-point arcs and boundary lines while several dimensions are the same distance! It might seem like a negligible distance from a three-point arc on an NBA court compared to an NCAA three-point line, but it can make all the difference when you train or play on one versus the other.
Once you find the right basketball court dimensions for you, what’s next?
Figuring out what you need to do to build that basketball court! When it comes to materials used on basketball courts, hardwood flooring is the most common choice due to most being indoor courts, but also due to its grip and cushioning properties.
This type of material isn’t ideal for outdoor courts, so you need to find a company that can build a basketball court that offers materials consisting of shock-absorbing materials that can weather the wrath of mother nature.
Additionally, the extra cushioning will help reduce the risk of injury no matter what game you choose to play on your court.