If you’re in the process of designing your own basketball court, just knowing the exact measurements and layout of each line and where it should go can make a big difference in how official your new court feels.
From the free throw line to the base line, here is all the stats and info you need to plan your area to match the dimensions of mens NCAA basketball courts.
Why Choose Mens NCAA Basketball Court Dimensions for a New Court
Most new players grow up learning to play basketball on whatever court is available to them. The more NCAA basketball courts available to youth, the more opportunities they will have to get used to the shooting distances. A court designed with NBA basketball court dimensions in mind is a good idea as well but more than likely the young player will be hitting the college scene before the NBA so it may be a better bet to prepare them for the college experience first.
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 officials 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 cheaper alternative that still offers 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 game play.
Center Court or Jump Circle
Center court is located at the half-court line dead-center of the court at 47 feet from either end. There are normally two concentric circles at the very center used for tip-off, one at a 2 foot radius to the courts center point and another at a 6 foot radius to the courts center point. This area is often referred to as the Jump Circle and is the same again from high school up to college basketball and into the NBA.
Three Point Line
The three point line is an arc that begins at the baseline and continues out in an arching shape just touching the top of the key and then returning back to the baseline on the opposite side of the key. Its radius extends out to 20 feet 9 inches from the center of the hoop or rim. It’s great if you can begin in high school playing on college or NBA three point arcs.
Key and the Foul Line
This area is made up of a square lane 12 feet wide by 18 feet 10 inches long called the key or free throw lane. At the top is a semicircle and where the two meet is the location of the foul line. The foul line is 15 feet from the backboard and 19 feet from the baseline.
College Basketball Court Dimensions
It can be difficult choosing whether to lay your basketball court out using NBA court dimensions or using college basketball court dimensions. Keep in mind that the majority of pros start in college playing on a college basketball court layout. By having your home court laid out in the same fashion and being able to practice and play daily with this configuration you may increase your odds of making the college teams.
Ways to Make Your Basketball Court Even More Fun
Consider an adjustable rim for young kids if this is for your home. This allows the whole family to play together without having the younger children get overly frustrated and being adjustable will allow the net to last well beyond high school.
Chain mesh makes an amazing addition to a home court and the sound when the ball hits the net really gets you pumped. It can be a little ghetto looking which may be the look you like for your court.
A really great outdoor speaker system is a must if you can afford it. There is nothing better than playing with music. Something that really gets your blood pumping.
I’ve seen some really cool personalized logos at center court or on backboards for half courts. It can be a really great way of bringing the overall feel of the court together.
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation however I’m finding this matter to be actually one thing which I think I’d never understand. It seems too complex and extremely huge for me.
I am taking a look ahead for your next publish, I’ll attempt to get the hold of it!
Your right Jasmine, it really can be a bit tricky if your building your own court to get a handle on the layout. I’ve had a few people ask for more info on designing your own court. I’ll try to make things even more clearer in some of my future posts about what lines go where. In the mean time I’ll be putting out an ebook to help others interested in building a home court. Hopefully that helps with some of the things that people wouldn’t normally think of while building.
I’m a little low on cash and looking for a cheap alternative to a basketball hoop. Just for fun, nothing serious. Ideas anyone?
Hey Paul, so if I understand right you just want a DIY, homemade hoop rather than buying one? If so, I can tell you that an old bike tire rim works REALLY well. It’s a bit of work to get all the spokes out of the center of the hoop but once they are out it makes a great rim. I even went as far as attaching my DIY bike rim net to the side of my house when I was younger as I didn’t even have a piece of plywood to use as a backboard. I played for quite a while on that net until I could afford a real one. The only downside is that it can be tricky to get the mesh to stay on. Some zip ties work well if you can find some.