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How far away is the three point line in basketball

USA Basketball - The History of the 3-Pointer

On November 13, 1967, the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association were losing to the Dallas Chaparrals, 118-116, with just one second left on the clock.

Indiana inbounded the ball to Jerry Harkness, who was 92 feet away from the basket. With no time to do anything else, Harkness threw a towering Hail Mary heave toward the goal. It smacked off the backboard and went in.

Pandemonium erupted in Dallas, but for all the wrong reasons. You see, 1967 was the first year of the 3-point shot among basketball's top leagues, and the players and fans weren't used to it. A lot of the 2,500 in attendance that day thought that the Harkness miracle tied the game and forced overtime. In fact, he was 68 feet behind the brand new 3-point line. His shot won the game for the Pacers, 119-118.

"We were running off the floor to huddle up for the overtime when the official, Joe Belmont, came up to me and said 'Jerry, it's over. That was a 3-pointer,'" Harkness said in the book Loose Balls. "I said, 'I forgot all about that. A 3-pointer.' Then we were celebrating again, because we found out that we won the game."

These days, the 3-pointer is second-nature to basketball players and fans. It's a safe bet that nobody under the age of 30 has any recollection of college or professional basketball being played without a 3-point line.

But, in fact, basketball was played for a long time without the 3-point shot. The NBA considered it gimmicky for years. The NCAA was even slower to adopt the rule.

Once it became mainstream, though--with the ABA leading the charge in 1967--basketball would never be the same again.

The Inception

The 3-point line's first use in a professional league was back in 1961 in the American Basketball League. The ABL only lasted 1 ½ seasons before folding, so the 3-pointer quickly went away.

The NBA, which had been around since 1946, never seriously considered it at that point. But when a new league competing against the NBA was dreamed up in the mid-1960s, the 3-point shot was back in the spotlight.

The ABA, which started in 1967, differed from the NBA in its experimentation of fan-friendly ideas. They had a red, white and blue basketball, a slam dunk contest, and of course, the 3-point shot.

According to the book Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association, which chronicled the nine-season history of the ABA, league organizers had planned to use the 3-pointer from the beginning. Coincidentally, the commissioner of the ABA and a big proponent of the 3-pointer was George Mikan, a 6-foot-10 NBA legend who probably would've never shot one during his playing days.

"We called it the home run, because the 3-pointer was exactly that," Mikan said in the book. "It brought fans out of their seats."

In 1976, the ABA and NBA merged, with four teams joining the NBA--the Indiana Pacers, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets. The 3-point shot, at first, wasn't part of the package.

The NBA stayed firm in the game's traditions. The league didn't adopt the 3-pointer until 1979--Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rookie season. While certain college basketball conferences experimented with it in the early '80s, the NCAA didn't universally implement a 3-point line until 1986, with high school basketball following suit a year later.

The Adjustment

In the late 1960s, when the ABA introduced the 3-pointer, a generation of coaches had to rethink everything they knew about the game, and it made things hectic. One ABA coach admits that at first, he never used the 3-pointer unless his team was losing late in the game and was desperate for points.

Other coaches had similar problems adjusting to its reality.

"You have to tell your players to remember who the shooters are, and when those guys are 25 feet from the basket, get in their jocks and guard them," former ABA and NBA coach Hubie Brown said in Loose Balls. "Don't give them the 25-footer, which is something players had been conditioned to do all their lives. And as a coach, if you have a shooter with range, you have to give him the freedom to take the 25-footer, which is a philosophy that goes against what you learned as a young coach--namely, pound the ball inside."

It wasn't just the coaches, either. The fans loved it right away, but there were growing pains among the players.

"It took a while for players to understand time and score situations, when to take it," said Len Elmore, who played in both the ABA and NBA. "You also recognize that players who hadn't been accustomed to playing with a 3-point line really had to work to develop the range."

Michael Jordan is a perfect example of that. He played college basketball at North Carolina without a 3-point line. In his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls, he was 9-for-52 from 3-point range. He never shot better than 20 percent from long range until his fifth season in the NBA. But by the time his remarkable tenure with the Bulls wrapped up, he was consistently shooting better than 35 percent from 3-point range.

The Evolution

It may not be obvious, but the 3-point line continues to change the sport today.

"Guys have become super efficient at the shot," Elmore said. "You see the NCAA continue to move the line further back because players can shoot it. At one time, it was only 19 feet at its shortest point."

In addition to the players continuing to improve, the utilization of the shot continues to evolve as well.

"Now you're seeing it on the fast break, whereas coaches from old school wouldn't want you to take that shot on the break. They'd want you to challenge the defense and get the highest percentage shot," Elmore said. "Also, you're seeing guys now driving to the basket, and even though they have an opportunity to take the layup or a much shorter shot, they're more willing to kick it out to the wide-open 3-point shooter. I'm not sure the percentages work from that standpoint, but it's a trend. "

Though the distances differ between all levels of basketball, the 3-point line is universal. The NBA has a 22-foot 3-point line in the corners and a 23-foot, 9-inch line elsewhere. The WNBA and the international game plays with a 20-foot, 6-inch line. The NCAA men's game has a 20-foot, 9-inch line while the NCAA women and high schools have a 19-foot, 9-inch line.

Whereas size was a crucial factor in matchups in the past, the 3-point line gave smaller teams a great equalizer.

Even the post players get into the action--just not very often.

Shaquille O'Neal is 1-for-22 from 3-point range in his career, that one a humorous bank shot buzzer-beater. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played half his pro career with no 3-point line and half of his career with it. He was 1-for-18 from behind the arc in his career.

More than anything, though, the 3-point line has made basketball a completely different experience for the fans--a more spread-out game with another level of energy that wasn't there before the 1960s.

"It keeps the game exciting, particularly at the college level," Elmore said. "There are times when people fall in love with it, and there's the adage that you live by it and you also die by it. When it's not incorporated properly and not utilized properly, it can hurt a team. But the advantage is to be able to stretch the floor."

How Far Is the 3 Point Line From The Hoop? Stats & Facts – Basketball Word!

To some, while watching basketball highlights or the game on T.V. it may appear that the 3 point line appears to be really far from the hoop. So if you are wondering, just how far is the three-point line is from the basketball hoop I have your answer.

How far is the 3 point line from the hoop? The 3 point line to the hoop in highschool is 19 feet 9 inches (6.02 meters), in college it is 20 feet 9 inches (6.32 meters) and both the WNBA, as well as FIBA’s 3 point line, is 22 feet 2 inches (6.75 meters). With the NBA being the furthest out of any league measured at 23 feet 9 inches (7. 24 meters).

If you remember the 3 point line to be closer than what you remember it to be at some point in your life, don’t be alarmed it’s not a mandella effect, you are in fact correct. We will look at the history, stats, and facts of this line and how it’s changing the game.

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History Of The 3 Point Line

The 3 point line has been moved several times over the years and like I said if you remember it being closer, that was just the case in 1993/94 NBA season and for three seasons the NBA had a closer line. It is right now and before the move 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) and at the corners 22 ft (6.71 m). They shorten to 22 ft (6.71 m) all the way around the basket.

Why the shortening, quite simply to induce more shots from the three, to increase more scoring and to add entertainment to the game. Which is sort of worked, numbers were up but not as much as the league thought they would be it actually took a number of years such as the third year where it really became apart of coaches plays. They then moved back the line to its original distance.

Some speculated that the NBA did this for Michael Jordan but the Chicago Bulls were hardly a 3 point shooting team. But a team like the New York Knicks benefited as John Starks during that time was the first player to break 200 threes in a single season.

3 Point Record-Breaking History

Danny Ainge was the first to break 100 three-pointers in a single season crushing the existing record at the time of 92 with 148 made three’s in the 1987/88 season.
John Starks of the New York Knicks was the first to break 200 in a season with 217 made shots in the 1994/95 NBA season.
Ray Allen set the new record in the 2004/05 season with 269 made three’s.
The goat of the three-point shot Steph Curry made and broke his own record 3 times 272 in 2012/13, 286 in 2014/15, 324 in 2016/17, 354 in 2017/18 and 402 in 2015/16.

With more three’s made and attempted you would think that points per game for teams would go up also, but it hasn’t. It actually is roughly the same.

Was The 3-Point Line Invented By The NBA

The 3 point line was first introduced in the American Basketball League in 1961 for one and a half seasons before the league folded. The Eastern Professional Basketball League followed suit in 1963/64 season. It was Popularized by the American Basketball Association otherwise known as the A.B.A in which they introduced it in their first season as a league.

The ABA joined with the NBA merging into one league in 1976 while it wasn’t until the 1979/80 seasons of the NBA that the three-point line re-appeared in a league. It was predicated as a terrible shot choice and against a coach’s strategy that most teams shied away from the three.

The idea of the three-point line didn’t sit well with the players and coaches, most thought it was a gimmick or a ploy to draw more crowds. When a shot was taken, the crowd would be in awe as it went up and didn’t often make it in the hoop as shooting percentages were poor. But when it did go in the crowd erupted like a ferocious dunk in traffic.

At the time the three-point line was 25 feet from the hoop that is further than it is now. That’s a foot further, so no wonder people were in aww when the shot went up.

Players and coaches had their reasons for not implementing it in their game plan, you have to remember that they have been practicing their whole lives without the three-point line, then out of nowhere, this is introduced. It changes everything.

The three-point line is more than just a line that you shoot from. Think about it, when you can’t see behind you and you’re on defense playing man to man with the ball, the three-point line can tell you where you are on the court in relation to the basket and how far away you are.

Quick Stat:

James Harden averages 13 three-point attempts a game.

Coaches Distaste For The Three

During the invention of the three-point line coaches built a system in their offense and prided on making sure the offense works. So it is obvious if you as a player that wanted playing time you would listen to the coach by any means necessary. For the coaches to all of a sudden make adjustments and incorporate the three into their system is not far fetched it just wasn’t something the coaches were interested in.

Many of the players and coaches assumed the three-point line wouldn’t last because many thought it was a gimmick. But for the fans, the new line was comparable to a slam dunk leaving the fans cheering and roaring when a shot was made.

At the time it could have been worded that the new line is something the league is going to try, so the teams might have thought not to invest too much into something when statistically it isn’t favorable and secondly it may not be there the next season.

When the ABA merged with the NBA any players who played in the ABA had a distinct advantage in shooting 3’s over those who didn’t, that is if you were given the green light by the coach to shoot three’s. That experience is huge in understanding the line and how it may affect the outcome of a game.

One or two three’s were shot per game and when the three went up, you can hear the crowds in awe as the ball was headed to the basket. If it went in the crowd when crazy like a game-winning shot. It was such a rare occasion that deserved its own recognition as a difficult shot.

Quick Stat:

The Fewest shot per a team from the three-point line is the San Antonio Spurs at only 24 shots a game.

Lack of Strength Equals Less Accuracy

Now I am not saying players were not strong enough to shoot from 25 feet out back then, what I am saying is that it would have been difficult for players to shoot from that far when they played a whole game and their legs are tired. Accuracy wouldn’t have been exactly dead eye so to speak.

Players rarely worked out to improve strength with weights as many wives’ tale were told that weight lifting would affect a shooter’s shot. The opposite has been proven to be true, in fact, I always felt I shot much better when I was working out with weights as I felt all I had to do was aim and not worry about how much power I needed behind a shot.

Michael Jordan is a classic example of someone who worked out his upper body with weights on game day and we all know how that turned out. Obviously, if you have never done it before then it may be difficult at first. I feel you can never have to much strength in basketball as long as you continue to work on the skill tirelessly.

Too little strength becomes a problem, form on the shot is sacrificed and other parts of the shooting muscles have to sacrifice, and if you are a little tired good luck.

Quick Stat:

The Golden State Warriors in the 2017/18 season were 17th in the league in 3 pointers attempted by a team. They attempted 2370 shots and shot a record 40 percent from the field as a team.

How Three-Pointers Have Changed The Game Of Basketball?

I grew up lucky enough to watch Michael Jordan play the game of basketball in his prime back when the midrange was actually a thing. I remember working on my midrange game as much as possible because I felt it was the key to becoming a good player who can average 20 plus points a game.

I still believe this to this day even though shooting three-pointers has become more popular than Fortnite, so it seems. Believe it or not, I never practiced shooting 3s either, as I didn’t shoot a lot of them in games but when I did it didn’t feel like a three it just felt like another shot. Wherever the shot presented itself for me I would shoot.

Although I do not believe that now but wondered if I would have practiced shooting more three’s than I wonder how much better I would have been behind the arc. The game was not tailored at the time I was playing high school to shoot a lot of threes. It was more if you are open shoot the three.

We have all seen the impact one player can make in basketball. From Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson To Lebron James and now Steph Curry. They not only changed the culture but also the way the game is played. Young players craft their skill set modeling the fundamentals and style of these players.

One player who has made the greatest impact on the game of basketball in which it has changed the game entirely, comparing it to the last decade is definitely Stephen Curry. He ha single handily broke records including his own in the three-point shot and has shot with amazing accuracy.

It blows me away to see this guy hit threes with such difficulty. It reminds me of when of the story of runners that we’re told that running the mile in under 4 minutes was impossible. As soon as one runner did it everyone started to do it. This holds true in my opinion with the three-point shot, it is like a layup to these players.

Teams are shooting more 3s than ever. I was watching the Houston Rockets play their second game of the season and they took more than 50 three-pointers in one game. As of the 2019/20 season Houston is averaging almost 50 threes a game.

The crazy thing is I do not see this shot selection slowing down. I strongly believe although I don’t have statistics to back me that players are shooting the three with more efficiency. Heck, the Centers are shooting three and doing it well.

There is some strategy that goes along with it, the center stays out at the three-point line, the center has now opened up the middle for penetration. Bringing out the shot blocker away from the hoop. These centers are open when their defender leaves to help on defense.

The ball goes to the center for a shot. Many centers develop a three-point shot when they get into the league as their success in getting into the league was based on playing the center not shooting 3s. Centers as of now take a couple of threes a game. But in the near future, I wonder if we can see a center lead the league in three-point efficiency.

Quick Stat:

The Houston Rockets have lead the league in 3 pointers made with 14 to 16 three’s in the last 3 seasons.

Every Player Loves The Three

As millions of kids around the world want to shoot the ball like Stephen Curry, the problem is that they are sacrificing their form just to get the ball to the rim. Young kids are playing with basketballs that are too heavy and big when they should focus on the basketball sizes for their age.

The three-pointer is more popular then it has ever been, it is completely normal to see more free throws attempts than midrange jumpers, while the 3 point shot and the layup/dunk dominate the shot selection.

In today’s game, we can see the 3 point line and use it as a guide on defense to determine where you are on the court relative to the basket. If no lines were there you would have to look back to see where you are in relation to the basket.

If they are able to shoot the three you want to be above the three-point line, If they are more of a penetrator, you will want to stay just on or just underneath it. I believe the three-point line helped every player play better defense. Could you imagine if there was no line, and you are on the wing guarding a good scorer, it would be hard to determine how far away you are from the basket and the angle you are at.

4 Point Line Or Move The Three Further

There has been a lot of talk throughout the past couple of years of moving the three-point line further away from the basket as the NBA has changed dramatically with it’s shot selection. How far back no one knows but this is something the NBA always looks into. Is the amount of threes taken and made ruining the NBA game, if they thought it was I think they would push the line further, such as when they moved the line closer to in the 1993/94 season.

Larry Bird was once quoted in an interview and he is as old school as they get saying the game has to move with the times and he thinks one day were going to need a 4 point line. Where are we going to put that line, players are already shooting 5 feet away from the line with such efficiency.

In the end, I believe the game is changing at a rapid rate, the role of the big man has changed completely while the three-point shot attempts have also increased. The side effect is quicker shots faster game and more points on the board.

That concludes the article, please check back as I update the site frequently.

Further Readings:

How To Become A Better Shooter In Basketball: Ultimate Guide
When Are Baskets Worth 3-points?
How To Improve Shooting Accuracy In Basketball? A Different Approach

Basketball court markings: standards and norms

Author of the article

Khvatkov Dmitry

Consultant in the production of rubber coatings

Basketball field marking requirements are approved by the FIBA standard. The site must be flat with a hard surface, free of bends, cracks and other obstacles. The accepted dimensions of the field are 28 m long and 16 m wide. By NBA standards, the field is slightly larger: 28.7 m (94' ft) long and 15.3 m (50' ft) wide.

Areas not intended for international competitions may differ from accepted standards (for public use, in schools or universities, etc.) and usually vary from 20 to 28 m in length and from 12 to 16 m in width.

Basketball Court Marking Standards

Basketball court markings are conventionally divided into 5 components:

Boundary lines. They are located along the perimeter of the site and set its size. The lines that run along the field are called side lines, and those that are behind the baskets are called front lines.
Central line. Divides the court in half parallel to the front lines.
Central zone. It is a circle and is placed in the middle of the center line, and, accordingly, in the center of the entire field.
Three-point line. It is a semi-ellipse and is located around the shields on both sides of the field. It limits the close range.
Free throw line. It is located in front of the boards parallel to the front line and is limited on the sides by paint lines.

The standard line width is 5 cm. All outlines and lines must be of the same color (usually white) and be clearly visible from anywhere on the court.

Common lines

Common lines are used to limit the playing area of the court. The side lines (along the field) according to FIBA standards should be 28 m long, and the front lines - 16 m. For public areas, deviations from the accepted standards are allowed. Typically, basketball courts in schools or gyms are made from 20 m long and 12 m wide.

Central lines

The center line is parallel to the front and divides the field exactly in half. According to the standards - it should extend beyond the side lines by 15 cm on both sides.

In the middle of the center line there is a circle with a diameter of 3.6 m, which limits the central zone of the field. In this zone, the ball is played at the beginning of the game.

Three-Point Line

Three-Point Lines are located around the backboards on both sides of the field and consist of two straight lines 2.9 long9 m and a semicircle. Straight lines run perpendicular to the front at a distance of 0.9 m from the side lines. Despite the fact that visually the distance from the ring to the side of the three-point line seems to be less than to its central part, the distance from the backboard to any point is 6.75 m.

Penalty lines

Penalty lines limit the nearest area at the backboard. They consist of a trapezoid and a free throw zone.

Despite the name, the "trapezium" is a rectangle (until 2009year it really was a trapezoid), which is located under the shield. Its dimensions are 5.8 meters long and 4.9 meters wide. The shield is located at a distance of 1.575 m from the end line in the middle of the court. In front of the backboard, at a distance of 1.25 m, there is a semicircle that limits the area for picking up the ball.

At a distance of 4.225 meters from the backboard, the trapeze zone ends and the free throw zone begins. It is a semicircle with a diameter of 3.6 m (like the central circle).

Paint zone lines

These lines are serifs on both sides of the trapezoid (parallel to the sidelines). They limit the areas for players who are fighting for the ball during a free throw.

Zones on the basketball field

The basketball court is divided into zones using markings. Each zone has its own specific rules.

Center circle

The center circle is used as a separate kick-off area at the start of the game. One representative from each team stand in a circle from their side and fight for the ball in a jump, after it is dropped by the referee. All players are exclusively on their side of the field, except for one who rebounds on the opponent's side.

Neutral zone

The peculiarity of this zone is that as soon as the player of the attacking team with the ball crosses the center line and is on the side of the opponent, he cannot pass the ball to the player of his team who is on the other side of the field (i. e. behind center line on your side).

Three-point zone

The three-point line limits the near zone of the shot. Hitting the basket from outside the basket brings the team three points. If the throw was made inside the zone, then it brings two points.

Three-second zone

This is the zone in close proximity to the ring. It is called three-second, since the player of the attacking team cannot be in it for more than three seconds. Most balls are thrown in this zone, so when attacking, it provides maximum protection.

Free throw area

In controversial situations, a free throw is provided from this area. The player of the attacking team must score the ball without stepping over the line of the trapezoid. At the same time, the players of both teams are not in the three-second zone. They take up positions along the paint lines on the sides of the trapezoid and may not step outside the lines until the free throw shooter has shot the ball.

How to mark a basketball field?

Basketball field markings, whether it is an international competition court or an open-air amateur field, are best applied using special equipment. This will ensure the long life of the coating, the lines will not clog and will promote fair play.

You can order the marking of a basketball court in Moscow and the Moscow region from Rezkom. We will measure the premises and develop a design project for the field so that it complies with generally accepted rules and is convenient for operation. For more details, you can contact our manager by phone 8-495-64-24-111.

10 interesting facts about the three-point shot.

Three-pointer evolution and insane records.

THREE-POINT POINTS TAKING MODERN BASKETBALL. HOW IT HAPPENED AND WHAT CRAZY RECORDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SET - LET'S UNDERSTAND IN THIS ARTICLE.

Initially, there were no three-point shots in basketball. The NBA introduced the arc just before the 1979-80 season, but it all started earlier.

1967 November 13th. ABA (American Basketball Association) Indiana loses to Dallas 116-118. Jerry Harkness of Indiana gets the ball at his ring, time is running out and all he can do is throw the ball. Jerry does this, the ball hits the backboard and falls into the ring.

The Indiana players at first thought they were going to play overtime… But then they were told that it was all over – they won, it was a three-pointer. This is how basketball began to change. This was the first year the ABA introduced the three-point shot.

The NCAA introduced the 3-point arc even later, in 1986. In high school basketball - 1987. Largely because of this, newcomers to the NBA did not hit in the first season from behind the arc. Michael had about 20% shooting accuracy for the first 5 years in the top league.

Initially, there were no three-point shots in basketball. The NBA introduced the arc just before the 1979-80 season, but it all started earlier.

Indiana players at first thought they were going to play overtime… But then they were told that it was all over – they won, it was a three-pointer. This is how basketball began to change. This was the first year the ABA introduced the three-point shot.

The NCAA introduced the 3-point arc even later in 1986. In high school basketball - 1987. Largely because of this, newcomers to the NBA did not hit in the first season from behind the arc. Michael had about 20% shooting accuracy for the first 5 years in the top league.

What happened next and what are the records?

Ray Allen made the most three-pointers in his career (2973). Of the current basketball players, Stephan Curry is closest to him, 3rd place and 2495 accurate long-range shots.

Curry also holds records:

Most three-pointers in a season = 402;
Most consecutive games with at least one long shot = 157;
And second in NBA 3-pointers per game = 13, also scored by Zach Lavigne;

Curry's partner Clay Thompson scored the most three-pointers in a single game in the NBA, 14 shots. They say he missed the morning workout before that ... Well, his bow with a bandage on his head that day deserves special attention.

Three-point shooting distance varies between leagues. In the NBA, the maximum distance is 7.24 meters, while in the NCAA it is 6.32 meters, and in FIBA competitions it is 6.75.

Enough about the NBA, here are some interesting numbers from other tournaments.

The Grinnell College Pioneers hold the NCAA team record for three-pointers. They scored 42 (!) shots out of 88 attempts.

The best field goal percentage in a season in NCAA history belongs to GSW coach Steve Kerr. At 19In 88, he scored from behind the arc 57.3%, having made more than 100 attempts.

Canada holds the team record for shots scored in FIBA tournaments. They made 24 hits in the fight for the opportunity to participate in the Olympics.

In the VTB United League, Egor Vyaltsev's individual record for hits is 12.

And where would such an article be without the Guinness Book of Records? In a minute, Anthony Miracola scored 31 times. Try to beat this result in training...

Do you also want to score 3-pointers and improve your shot? Watch the video with 3 tips on the channel #thisyourplatform

Do you want to take your first steps in basketball or improve your basic skills? We have a Basic Basketball Skills workout for you. See the schedule and sign up:

Coach: Yuriy Bespalov

- Professional player of the INANOMO 3x3 team;
- Champion of Russia 3x3 2019;
- Winner and medalist of the MOFB championship;
- 2017 MLBL Summer League MVP;
- Multiple participant of the Moscow Open;
- Champion of Moscow 3x3 2017;
- MVP GrunisCup 2017.

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