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How wide is a standard basketball court
How wide is a standard basketball court
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.
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Basketball Court Dimensions, Gym Size, Hoop Height
Basketball court dimensions and size vary based on the level of play. To help explain the various sizes, we’ve created a chart and diagrams that should help you. And we’ve organized the material into a helpful question-and-answer format.
What is a basketball court size?
Well, it depends on each court you measure — but there are some standards. The age of the players who will be the primary users and budgets are considerations for court builders.
Basketball Court Dimensions
Regulation basketball court dimensions are 94 feet long by 50 feet wide.
Basketball court size varies depending on the league and level of play. The court measures 94 feet long by 50 feet wide for NBA court dimensions and WNBA and college. Note the paint area – the free throw lane – is 16 feet across. The foul line is 15 feet from the face of the backboard and 2 inches wide.
International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Olympic basketball courts call for the court to be slightly smaller at 91.9 feet by 49.2 feet. In meters, that’s 28 by 15 meters.
NBA Court Dimensions Diagram
High school basketball court dimensions
The high school and junior high basketball gym courts measure 84 feet long by 50 feet wide. Court markings reflect those dimensions.
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High School Basketball Court Diagram
At a younger level of play than college or pro, the court length is 10 feet shorter at 84 feet.
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How long is a basketball court?
So, what are court dimensions in feet? The high school court is 84 feet long.
The length of an NBA court is exactly 10 feet longer. College and professional league games, including the WNBA, are played on a 94-foot-long court.
One of the most famous college facilities is Pauley Pavilion, where the UCLA Bruins play.
Visit: Stephen A. Smith Profile.
College Basketball Court Diagram
What are court dimensions in meters?
The metric size of a professional court is 28.65 meters long by 15.24 meters wide. The high school court measures 25.6 meters long.
What are half-court dimensions?
Half-court dimensions are 47 feet long for the pros and 42 feet long for high school.
See Basketball Roles and Responsibilities of Each Position.
What are the half-court dimensions for a backyard?
Youth half-court dimensions are usually 42 feet long by 37 feet wide. High school half courts are slightly larger, 50 feet long by 42 feet wide.
Check out Ben Simmons Profile.
What are backyard court dimensions?
Backyard courts can be whatever size you wish (or can fit), but typically they are 90 feet long by 50 feet wide.
What are youth court dimensions – Middle School and High school?
The middle school court size is 74 feet long by 42 feet wide. High school courts are slightly larger, at 84 feet long by 50 feet wide.
Looking for a basketball court in your area to play? Check out The Original Basketball Court Finder.
Basketball Hoop Height and Size
It’s critical that you set the goal at the proper height. Here are your guidelines.
See How many teams make the NBA playoffs?
What is the regulation basketball rim height? How tall is a hoop?
The distance from the gym floor to the rim is 10 feet. This rim height is the same for Junior High, High School, NCAA, WNBA, FIBA, and the NBA. Some kids’ leagues will lower the hoop to 8 feet or 9 feet to acknowledge that younger kids have difficulty shooting at ten feet-high hoops.
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How wide is an NBA basketball hoop? What is the NBA rim size?
The rim size is the same for all game levels – junior high, high school, NCAA, WNBA, NBA, and FIBA – at 18 inches in diameter.
Basketball Free Throw and 3-Point Distance
Read the guidelines below carefully, as the three-point distance varies by player.
What is the free-throw line distance? How far is the free-throw line?
The free-throw line is measured from the shooting line that intersects the key to the floor directly underneath the backboard. The free throw distance in the NBA, WNBA, and NCAA is 15 feet.
Did you know that Steve Nash was the best percentage shooter of free throws in the NBA? He shot 90.43% from the line making 3,060 of 3,384 attempts.
What is the high school 3-point line distance?
The 3-point line for high school is 19.9 feet from the basket.
What is the college 3-point line distance?
The 3-point line for both NCAA men and women is set at 20 feet, 9 inches from the hoop.
What is the WNBA 3-point line distance?
The WNBA 3-point line is 22.15 feet from the basket. From the corners, the distance is 21.
65 feet.
What is the NBA 3-point line distance?
The pros shoot 3-pointers from beyond the arc, 23.75 feet from the basket. From the corners, the distance is 22 feet.
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Size of the Basketball
Matching the size of the basketball to the player’s hand size makes a difference. Read on.
What are the ball’s diameter and circumference?
The size of the ball is different for men’s, women’s, and youth leagues.
For the NBA, men’s college, and boys ages 15 and up, players play with a 9.43-9.51 inch diameter (the width measured left to right) basketball. The ball’s circumference (the distance measured around the outside) is 29.5 inches. The official NBA game ball is made by Spalding and measures 9.43-9.51 inches in diameter or 29.5 inches (75cm) in circumference.
NCAA women and the WNBA use a slightly smaller ball with a roughly 9.07-9.23 inch diameter and 28.5-inch circumference.
The ball used in boys’ youth leagues has a 28.
5-inch circumference. Girls’ youth basketballs are 27.5 inches in circumference. Kids 5 to 8 years old use the smallest ball at 25.5 inches in circumference.
Backboard, Baseline, and Key
The backboard is four feet out from the baseline, marking the end of the players’ active playing surface.
The key is 16 feet wide and 19 feet from the foul line to the baseline.
Inside the key, a four-foot arc is designated to align with the center of the basket to mark the restricted arc. If a defender is within this arc, they cannot draw a charging foul.
Regulation backboards are six feet wide and 42 inches tall.
Free throw markings
Short lines are drawn three feet apart along both sides of the key area to designate the standing positions for rebounders when a free throw is being shot. The first line is drawn seven feet from the baseline.
A six-foot arc (half circle) starting from the free-throw line away from the basket completes the key area.
Core components of basketball courts
Baskets, free-throw lines, three-point arcs, and the half-court line are some of basketball courts’ foundational elements.
Court lines mark 94 feet in length by 50 feet in width for NBA courts. The half-court line is at 47 feet. Indoor courts are frequently made of hardwood-like polished maple. Outdoor courts may be composed of asphalt, concrete, or other pavements.
The words baseline and end line both refer to the ends of the court running behind the goals.
In the middle of the half-court line is a tip-off circle that has a six-foot radius. This is where the opening jump ball takes place.
The backcourt refers to the half of the court where the team’s basket is defended. The boundary lines include their end line, sidelines, and the half-court line of the playing court.
For international play, the standard court size is 28m long and 15m wide, measured from the inner edge of the boundary line.
The 3-Point line
The NBA 3-point arc is 22 feet to the center of the rim. Women’s and Men’s college basketball court features a 3-point arc of 20 feet 9 inches. High school basketball courts have a 3-point arc that is 19 feet 9 inches away from the center of the rim.
Great Basketball Courts Everyone Should See
Rucker Park in Harlem, New York. Where street legends go to make their name. Home of Kareem Abdul Jabaar, Nate Archibald, and Connie Hawkins. Even Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant have made appearances.
United Center, Chicago, Illinois. Michael Jordan won 6 NBA titles while calling this his home court.
Hoosiers Gym in Knightstown, Indiana. Gene Hackman + Dennis Hopper + Picket Fence = the best basketball movie ever.
Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. Home to the UCLA Bruins and John Wooden’s greatest college hoops dynasty.
Madison Square Garden, Manhattan, New York. Home of the Knicks with a household name that needs no introductions.
The Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. One word: “Showtime!”
The Swim Gym, Beverly Hills High School in Los Angeles. Remember “It’s a Wonderful Life” and the retractable gym floor? This is the place. Built in 1939, a 25-yard pool was placed under the gym floor.
It’s a Wonderful Life was a 1946 movie.
Timing of a Game
Here are the total game times for basketball games for each level of play. Remember that time-outs, TV breaks, half time, and other play stoppages will draw out the real-time of a game 2 to 3 times longer than the timed play.
How long is a high school game?
High school basketball games consist of four 8-minute quarters for 32 minutes of game time.
Length of the college basketball game?
In the NCAA, college games consist of two 20-minute halves for 40 minutes of game time.
How long is a WNBA basketball game?
WNBA basketball games consist of four 10-minute quarters for 40 minutes of game time.
Length of an NBA basketball game?
NBA games consist of four 12-minute quarters for 48 minutes of game time.
How long is the shot clock?
The shot clock requires offenses to shoot before a timed period runs out. If a shot is not made during that period, a shot clock violation is called, and the ball is turned over to the opposing team.
In high school games, the shot clock varies. For men’s college hoops, the shot clock is 35 seconds, and for women’s college is 30 seconds.
The WNBA shot clock is 30 seconds, while the NBA limits the shot clock to only 24 seconds.
Basketball Court Fun Facts
Do you know everything about hoops courts? Try answering these trivia questions.
1.) What type of wood is used for NBA courts?
Maple is selected for its hardness and light color. The lightness helps provide contrast to the ball to follow the action in person and on TV. The lighter color reflects light better, too.
2.) How often does the NBA require teams to replace the floors in the arenas?
Every ten years. But, sometimes, a team receives a waiver if the floor is still in great shape.
3.) What three NBA teams were ranked the highest in appearance by the Chicago Tribune?
Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics floors were ranked the highest by a panel selected by the newspaper.
By Greg Johnson & Mike O’Halloran
Greg is a designer and writer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mike has authored three books on basketball coaching and has coached ten different teams.
You’re on our Basketball Court Dimensions page.
Further Reading
Hoops Quotes
Slogans
NBA Players By The Numbers: Wingspans, Verticals, Hand Sizes
Fun Basketball Games For Kids to Improve Shooting
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.
Basketball court dimensions in meters (FIBA and NBA standard)
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The size of the basketball court depends on the level of the competition, the governing organization, and the age of the students. Often, for training sessions or fights in amateur tournaments, different sizes of the playing court are used, but also in basketball there are officially established standard sizes of the field.
FIBA and NBA Basketball Court Sizes
According to International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the court must be rectangular and measure 28 by 15 meters (91.
9 by 49.2 feet). However, in the overseas version of basketball, where the ruling organization of this sport is the National Basketball Association (NBA), the dimensions of the field for professional competitions are slightly different - 28.7 and 15.24 meters (94 by 50 feet).
As for amateur basketball, the size of the fields can be completely different:
- For schools and universities: 21-28 m long, 12-15 m wide
- Mini basketball (for children under 12) - 17×12 meters
Basketball court markings
All field lines must be 5cm wide in white. The playing area is limited by the side and front lines. The middle line divides the court in half into equal parts. In the center of the middle line there is a circle with a diameter of 3.6 m (r - 1.8 m), where a dropped ball is played before the start of each period.
How many periods in basketball: the difference between FIBA and NBA
There is an arc near each hoop at a distance of 6.
75 m from the end line. Balls thrown into the basket outside it bring 3 points, everything inside the arc - 2 points.
Basketball's free throw zone is marked by a 3.6m line 5.8m from the endline and 4.6m from the hoop.
See picture of a basketball court with all lines and dimensions.
Differences in the rules for the size and layout of the court in the NBA and FIBA
| Playground | FIBA size | NBA size |
| Length (meters) | 28 | 28.65 |
| Width (meters) | 15 | 15.24 |
| Ring height (m) | 3.05 | 3.05 |
| Center circle diameter (m) | 3.60 | 3.60 |
| 3 points line (distance from the basket in meters) | 6.75 | 7.24 |
| Distance from the basket to the free-throw line (m) | 4. 60 | 4.67 |
| Court line width (cm) | 5 | 5 |
The First Basketball Court Dimensions: A Brief History
The first basketball court was limited to the size of the college gym it was located in. That hall measured 54 by 35 feet (16.45 × 10.66 meters).
In 1891, James Naismith, a physical education teacher at Springsfield College in Massachusetts, invented a new game he later called basketball. At the first stages of the formation of a newly-fledged sport, peach baskets were used instead of rings, and in its first 13 rules, the creator did not indicate the size of the site. As basketball grew in popularity, it became necessary to standardize the size of the field. In 1924, the rules established the maximum size of the site - 28.65 by 15.24 m and the minimum - 18 by 9meters. The NBA still has such rules for the size of the court (28.65 by 15.24 meters), and FIBA eventually set its own standard - 28 × 15 meters.
