Home » Misc » How long is a basketball court in metres
How long is a basketball court in metres
Diagram and Measurements – Backyard Sidekick
The dimensions of a basketball court play an important role in how the game is played. For example, getting the right distance to the free throw line is a big deal when you’re going to spend hours and hours practicing.
The NBA (National Basketball Association) official court size is 94 feet long by 50 feet wide, where the international court is a bit smaller. The FIBA (International Basketball Federation) rules state the court size should be 91.9 feet long by 49.2 feet wide for international basketball games.
There are also different size courts for high school, parks, and some college basketball games, with different distances for line markings like the 3-point line. Keep reading for detailed dimensions and free diagrams of the different court set ups.
Even though basketball court dimensions will differ between organization or level of school, they aren’t too far off from each other either. Here’s a helpful chart to show the different basketball court dimensions quickly before we dive into more detail.
Court Type
Length
Width
Free Throw
3-Point Line
NBA
94′
50′
15′
23.75′
FIBA
91.9′
49.2′
15.09′
22.15′
NCAA
94′
50′
15′
22.15′
High School
84′
50′
15′
19.75′
Notice how almost all of the free throw distances are 15 feet, or close to it. The 3-point line distance is pretty close across the board, but high school basketball courts are around 10 feet smaller and have a shorter 3-point line distance.
The good thing about the key and free throw line being the same across all court types, is that for home use, you can use something like this Easy Basketball Court Stencil Kit (link to Amazon) and still be practicing your free throws at the same distance the professionals do.
NBA Court Dimensions
An NBA court will be 94 feet in length by 50 wide, with the half court line at 47 feet, directly in the center of the court. The free throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the court and 15 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 23.75′ or 23’9′ from the center of the hoop.
Here’s a handy diagram of an NBA basketball court with dimensions.
Here are some more details about the court line markings and dimensions of an NBA basketball court.
Court Size – 94′ by 50′
The Key – 16′ wide with backboard extending 4′ onto the court into the key. A 6′ radius half circle extends away from the basket at the top of the key.
Foul Line – 19′ from the baseline (edge of the court) and 15′ away from the backboard.
3-Point Line – The 3-point line is 22′ feet from the basket on the sides of the court and 23’9″ from the basket around the arc of the 3-point line.
Restricted Arc – A half circle with a radius of 4′ under the basket where players can not draw charging fouls.
Backboard – 72″ wide by 42″ tall with an inner square 24″ wide by 18″ tall.
Rim/Hoop – Top of rim is 10′ from the ground and 18″ in diameter.
Line Markings – All line markings are 2″ wide.
FIBA Court Dimensions
A FIBA court will be 91.9 feet in length by 49.2 wide, with the half court line at 45.95 feet, directly in the center of the court. The free throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the court and 15. 09 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 22.15′ from the center of the hoop.
I was crazy to me that the international court dimensions were so weirdly close to college or NBA courts, but off enough to make things difficult. The reason being is that the international courts needed to be done in metric rather than feet and inches. So they came up with nice round numbers in the metric system that translates to odd and difficult numbers to work with.
If you look at the FIBA court dimensions in meters, it makes a bit more sense. A FIBA court is 28 meters long by 15 meters wide. These courts are necessary to play on if we want to play basketball in the Olympics and other international competitions.
Here’s a quick video explaining the differences NBA players have to overcome to play internationally.
College Basketball Court Dimensions
An NCAA basketball court will be 94 feet in length by 50 wide, with the half court line at 47 feet, directly in the center of the court. The free throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the court and 15 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 22.15′ from the center of the hoop.
The NCAA basketball court dimensions are very similar to the NBA with the exception of the 3-point line being slight closer. About a foot and a half distance can make a big deal if you get used to shooting on a college court and move to the NBA, but it doesn’t seem to be a big hurdle for the professional players.
High School Basketball Court Dimensions
A high school basketball court will be 84 feet in length by 50 wide, with the half court line at 42 feet, directly in the center of the court. The free throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the court and 15 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 19’9″ from the center of the hoop.
The high school basketball court key and free throw line matches the NBA distances. The court is about 10 feet shorter in length, but is the same width as a college level or NBA court.
The three point line is significantly closer to the hoop on a high school basketball court, partly because the court it shorter, but also to allow the players at that skill level an opportunity to make those 3-point shots.
Basketball Hoop Height
The top of the basketball hoop is 10 feet from the ground on all regulation basketball courts including the NBA, NCAA, FIBA, and high school basketball courts. Basketball rims, sometimes referred to as the hoop or basket, are a regulation 18 inches in diameter.
It’s recommended that 8 to 10 year olds play on an 8 foot rim height, and 11 year olds play on a 9 foot rim height. This way younger players can gradually get used to the height of a basketball hoop without being discouraged from playing the game early on.
Basketball Backboard Dimensions
The regulation dimensions of a basketball backboard are 72 inches wide by 42 inches tall with an inner square to help players aim for the backboard measuring 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall. This translates to a backboard 6 feet wide by 3.5 feet tall for regulation basketball courts.
Basketball backboards sold for recreational or training basketball play are sold in a variety of sizes. The most common being 60, 54, 52, 48, and 44 inches wide. For a typical two car driveway, a 54 or 60 inch backboard is most commonly used and is fitting for a court that size.
Here are some common questions I get about this topic.
How Long Is A Basketball Court In Meters?
A regulation NBA or NCAA basketball court measures 94 feet long by 50 feet wide which is 28. 7 meters long by 15.2 meters wide. The FIBA international basketball courts are a little smaller and were designed using meters as a measurement coming in at 28 meters long by 15 meters wide.
How Far Is The 3 Point Line From The Basket In High School?
On a regulation high school basketball court the 3 point line is 19 feet 9 inches from the basketball hoop. The top of the rim is 10 feet from the ground and the front of the backboard is 4 feet in from the side of the court, making the free throw line 15 feet from the hoop.
Is NBA Court Bigger Than NCAA?
The regulation NCAA basketball court is the same size as an NBA basketball court at 94 feet in length by 50 feet wide. The only noticeable difference between the two courts is the 3-point line distance. The NBA 3-point line is 23.75′ from the hoop, where the NCAA is 22.15′ from the hoop.
Helpful Links:
Easy Basketball Court Stencil Kit (link to Amazon)
Recommended Basketball Gear
14 Fun Basketball Games For All Ages
10 At Home Basketball Drills
Sharing is caring!
Facebook
Twitter
Basketball Court Dimensions & Markings
The playing area of a basketball court in the UK is 91. 8ft (28m) in length and 49.21ft (15m) wide. Indoor courts should be 22.96ft (7m) in height.
Sport England's requirements are split into four levels of play: International, Premier (national competition), Club (regional competition) and Community (schools/recreational). This allows courts to be more flexible with sizes. The dimensions of a basketball court in these cases also include a minimum length and width: 85.3ft (26m) x 45.93ft (14m).
Court aspect
Dimensions
Length (International)
28m
Width (International)
15m
Height (International)
7m
Length (other levels)
26-28m
Width (other levels)
14-15m
Height (other levels)
7m
How long is a basketball court?
The length of a basketball court is 28m. These measurements can be reduced to 26m for Premier, Club and Community courts where only smaller spaces are available.
How wide is a basketball court?
The width of an International-standard basketball court in the UK is usually 15m. The court lines can be reduced by no more than 1m (14m) if required for lower levels of play.
What is the total area of a basketball court?
The total area of a professional basketball court is 420m². The minimum area allowed under Basketball England's guidance is 364m². These measurements apply to both indoor and outdoor courts.
The addition of 2.05m run-offs and 2m for teams and officials on the sideline increases the total area to 677.31m².
Basketball court dimensions in feet
A basketball court is 91.86ft long and 49.21ft wide. The total playing area for a court is 4520.43 ft² and 7290.5ft² if run-offs and sidelines are required.
Court aspect
Dimensions
Length
91. 86ft
Width
49.21ft
Height
22.96ft
Playing area
4520.43ft²
Playing area (including run-offs and sidelines)
7290.5ft²
Basketball court dimensions in yards
A basketball court is 30.62 yards long, and 16.4 yards wide. The total playing area for a court is 502.31yds² and 810yds² if run-offs and sidelines are required.
Court aspect
Dimensions
Length
30.62yds
Width
16.4yds
Playing area
502.31yds²
Playing area (including run-offs and sidelines)
810yds²
Basketball court markings
Regulation line markings must be 50mm width in a contrasting colour to the playing surface.
Sidelines
The outer edge of the court is denoted by the sidelines, which run the length of the court. On a full-sized court they measure 28m.
Baseline and endline
The terms baseline and endline both refer to the ends of the court running behind the goals. Typically they measure 15m.
The use of the different terms depends on the direction a team is playing. Endline is the term for the end of the court which a team is defending, baseline is the for the attacking end.
Mid court
This is the halfway mark on the court and is used to denote the offensive playing area during a game.
On a full-sized court, the mid court line would be 14m from each endline.
Centre circle
Used for the opening tip off, the centre circle has a 3.6m diameter.
Three point line
The three point lines are the arcs that mark a range boundary from each hoop. Scoring from outside this line is worth three points. The distance of the line will vary depending on the level of game, but is typically 6. 75m from the basket.
Free throw line
The free throw line, marked 4.6m from the backboard, is the mark at which a player must stand when shooting free throws.
Free throw circle
The free throw circle is the same size as the centre circle (3.6m in diameter). Shooters must stay inside this circle when taking a free throw. The circle is also used for jump balls.
Free throw lane lines/key
Lane lines run from the free throw line to the baseline, to form the 'key'. The shape and width can vary depending on the level of the game, but FIBA (International Basketball Federation) regulation changes in 2010 set it as a 4.9m by 5.8m rectangle.
Some also include space markings to keep opposing players from obstructing the free throw shooter.
Basketball court lines in feet and yards
Court marking
Dimensions (ft)
Sidelines
91.86ft
Baseline and endline
49. 21ft
Mid court
45.93ft
Centre circle
11.81ft diameter
Three point line
22.14ft from the basket
Free throw line
11.81ft, 15.09ft from the backboard
Free throw circle
11.81ft diameter
Free throw lane lines/key
16ft x 19ft
Court marking
Dimensions (yds)
Sidelines
30.62yds
Baseline and endline
16.4yds
Mid court
15.31yds
Centre circle
3.93yds diameter
Three point line
7.38yds from the basket
Free throw line
3. 93yds, 5.03yds from the backboard
Free throw circle
3.93yds diameter
Free throw lane lines/key
5.33yds x 6.33yds
Basketball goal dimensions
A number of basketball goal systems are available: wall hinged, ceiling mounted or free-standing practice goals.
Backboards
Backboard dimensions are 1.8m x 1.22m, with a minimum thickness of 19mm. Backboards can be made of either timber or transparent material and must be fitted with padding at all levels above U16.
Backboard line markings should be 50mm in width and either black or white, depending on the material of the board. The inner rectangle should measure 0.45m x 0.59m.
Goals
The basketball goal (also known as a ring or hoop) is typically 18 inches (45.72cm) in diameter and must be positioned 3.05m from the floor.
Nets are typically white and suspended from the ring. They should be no shorter than 45cm.
Download the PDF
The images and diagrams showing the dimensions of a basketball court in this article are available in a downloadable PDF
Check out our range of basketball equipment, including goals, backboards and accessories.
Related Posts
Hockey field dimensions
Rugby pitch dimensions
Rugby league pitch dimensions
Tennis court dimensions
Basketball court markings: standards and norms
Author of the article
Dmitry Khvatkov
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 side lines). 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.
Sports in your yard. Basketball playground. Dimensions
Basketball Playing Court
The playing court must be a flat rectangular hard surface without any obstacles. For FIBA major official competitions and for new playing fields under construction, the dimensions, measured from the inside edge of the boundary lines, must be 28 meters long and 15 meters wide. For all other competitions, the relevant FIBA structures, such as the Zonal Commission or National Federations, have the right to approve existing playing fields with a minimum dimension of 26 meters in length and 14 meters in width.
Ceiling. The height of the ceiling or the distance to the lowest object above the playing area must be at least 7 meters.
Lighting. The playing surface must be evenly and adequately lit. Light sources must be located where they will not interfere with Players and Officials.
Lines. All lines must be inked in the same color (preferably white), 5 cm wide and clearly visible.
Front and side lines. The playing court must be limited by two front (on the short sides of the court) and two side (on the long sides of the court) lines. These lines are not part of the court. The playing court must be at least 2 meters away from any obstacles, including the team bench.
Central line. The center line is drawn parallel to the end lines from the middle of the side lines and must extend 15 cm beyond each side line.
Center circle. The center circle is marked in the center of the court and has a radius of 1.80 m measured to the outer edge of the circle. If the center circle is painted a different color, it must be the same color as the restricted areas.
Free throw lines, restricted areas and free throw areas.
The free throw line is drawn parallel to each end line. Its far edge is at a distance of 5.80 m from the inner edge of the end line, its length must be 3.60 m. Its middle must be on an imaginary line connecting the midpoints of the two end lines. Restricted areas are defined areas on the court, bounded by end lines, free throw lines and lines that start from the end lines. Their outer edges are 3 m from the middle of the end lines and end at the outer edge of the free throw lines. These lines, excluding the end lines, are part of the restricted area. The restricted areas may be painted a different color, but they must be the same color as the center circle. Free throw areas are limited areas extended towards the playing court in semicircles with a radius of 1.80 m, the centers of which are located in the middle of the free throw lines. The same semicircles must be drawn in dotted lines within the restricted areas. The places along the free throw areas taken by Players during free throws are marked as shown in the diagram.
Three-point shooting area.
A team's three-point field goal area is the entire playing court, except for the area near the opponent's basket, bounded by: dropped from the center of the opponent's basket. The distance from this point to the inner edge of the middle of the end line is 1.575 m. A semi-circle with a radius of 6.25 m to the outer edge of its line, centered on the same point as above, until it joins the parallel lines.
Shields.
Shields must be made of a suitable transparent material (preferably tempered safety glass) which is a single piece. If they are made of other opaque material(s), they must be painted white. The dimensions of the shields must be: 1.80 m horizontally and 1. 05 m vertically. All lines on the shield must be drawn as follows: - in white if the shield is transparent. - black in all other cases. - 5 cm wide. The front surface of the shields must be smooth.
Shield markings. Boards must be rigidly mounted as follows: - at both ends of the platform at right angles to the floor, parallel to the front lines. - The vertical center line on their front surface, extended down to the floor, must touch a point on the floor lying 1.20 m from the inner edge of the middle of each end line, on an imaginary line drawn at right angles to that end line.
Shield supports.
The shield supports must be designed as follows: - the front of the structure (including upholstery) must be located at a distance of at least 2.00 m from the outer edge of the front line, painted in a bright color contrasting with the color of the walls, to be clearly visible to the Players. - The shield support must be so attached to the floor that it cannot be moved. - any structure to which the backboard is attached must be padded with soft material behind the backboard along the bottom surface of the structure at a distance of 1.20 m from the front surface of the backboard. - the minimum thickness of the upholstery must be 5 cm. It must have the same density as the upholstery of the panels. - all backboard support structures must be completely padded with soft material to a minimum height of 2.15 m on the surface from the side of the platform. The minimum thickness of the upholstery must be 10 cm.
Baskets.
Baskets consist of rings and nets.
Rings. Material - solid steel, inner diameter 45 cm and painted orange. The metal bar of the ring must have a minimum diameter of 16 mm and a maximum diameter of 20 mm. On the bottom of the ring there must be devices for attaching nets, such as to prevent injury to the fingers. The net must be attached to the ring at twelve equally spaced points along the entire perimeter of the ring. Net attachment devices must not have sharp edges or crevices that the Player's fingers could get into. The ring is attached to the structure supporting the basket so that no force applied to the ring is transmitted directly to the shield. Therefore, there should be no direct contact between the ring and the device that secures the ring to the shield and the shield. However, the gap must be small enough that fingers cannot get into it. The top edge of each ring must be placed horizontally at a height of 3.05 m above the ground at an equal distance from the vertical edges of the backboard. The nearest point on the inside of the ring must be 15 cm from the face of the shield. Damper rings can be used.
Nets. Made of white cord and designed to hold the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket. The net length must be at least 40 cm and not more than 45 cm.
The 3-point line distance is pretty close across the board, but high school basketball courts are around 10 feet smaller and have a shorter 3-point line distance.
A 6′ radius half circle extends away from the basket at the top of the key.
09 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 22.15′ from the center of the hoop.
The free throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the court and 15 feet from the front of the backboard. The 3 point shooting line is 19’9″ from the center of the hoop.
This way younger players can gradually get used to the height of a basketball hoop without being discouraged from playing the game early on.
7 meters long by 15.2 meters wide. The FIBA international basketball courts are a little smaller and were designed using meters as a measurement coming in at 28 meters long by 15 meters wide.
8ft (28m) in length and 49.21ft (15m) wide. Indoor courts should be 22.96ft (7m) in height.
These measurements can be reduced to 26m for Premier, Club and Community courts where only smaller spaces are available.
86ft
75m from the basket.
21ft
93yds, 5.03yds from the backboard
They should be no shorter than 45cm.
) and usually vary from 20 to 28 m in length and from 12 to 16 m in width. 
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. 
They limit the areas for players who are fighting for the ball during a free throw. 
If the throw was made inside the zone, then it brings two points. 
If the center circle is painted a different color, it must be the same color as the restricted areas. 
The same semicircles must be drawn in dotted lines within the restricted areas. 
05 m vertically. 
