Home »
Misc »
How wide is the lane in basketball
How wide is the lane in basketball
The Lines and Dimensions of a Basketball Court
Updated: 06-09-2022
Golf's Short Game For Dummies
Explore Book Buy On Amazon
A basketball court has symmetry; one half of the court is a mirror image of the other. The entire basketball court (see Figure 1) is 94 feet by 50 feet. On each half-court, painted lines show the
free throw lane and
circle, as well as the
three-point arc, whose distance from the basket varies based on the level of hoops being played.
Figure 1: The American court.
Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of hardwood. Outdoor courts are most commonly composed of asphalt.
The borders of the court have their own commonsense names:
- Along the length of the court, the borders are the sidelines.
- Along the ends, the borders are the endlines, or baselines.
![]()
- Separating both halves of the court is a midcourt line.
- In the very center of the midcourt line is the center circle (12 feet in diameter), where the center toss takes place to begin the game.
The free throw lane and free throw line
The
free throw lane is the hub of the action in each half-court. This rectangle is 12 feet wide — 16 feet at the men's pro level. Its length, as measured from the basket to the
free throw line, is 15 feet at all levels. An offensive player may not stand inside the lane for more than three seconds unless he or one of his teammates is shooting the ball. After a shot is taken, the count starts over again. A defensive player may remain inside the lane for as long as he desires.
A player fouled by another player sometimes receives free throws, also known as foul shots. She takes these shots (they aren't really "throws") from the free throw line at the end of the lane — 15 feet from the basket.
The shots are "free" because a defender does not guard the shooter while she's shooting. When a player shoots a free throw, her feet may not cross the free throw line until the ball hits the rim, or else the shot is nullified.
The remaining players line up alongside the free throw lane (or behind the shooter) and cannot interfere with the shot. They line up in order, on either side of the lane, of defense-offense-defense-offense. (Up to four players may stand on one side of the lane.) If a player opts not to take a spot (say, for example, the second defensive spot), then a player from the opposing team is permitted to step into that spot. The fans behind the basket usually scream, jump up and down, and wave their hands to try to distract an opposing team's shooter during free throws.
The three-point arc
The
three-point arc is the other important marked feature of the court. The arc extends around the basket in a near semicircle, and its distance from the basket differs according to the level of play.
Even at one level, the distance can change as rules committees grapple with the best distance for the good of the sport. The NBA has changed the three-point distance on two different occasions since first adopting the
trey, as the three-point shot is called, in the 1979-1980 season. The three-point distance was moved back to its original 23' 9" for the 1997-1998 season. The college distance is 19' 9", while the international distance is 20' 6".
Any shot made from beyond this arc — even a desperation half-court shot at the buzzer — is worth three points. A three-point shooter must have both feet behind the arc as he launches this shot, but either foot is allowed to land on the other side of the arc.
The backcourt and frontcourt
Thinking of the entire court as two half-courts, divide it into frontcourt and backcourt. The
frontcourt is the half of the court where the offense's basket is located. The
backcourt is the other half. Thus one team's backcourt is the other team's frontcourt.
About This Article
This article can be found in the category:
Everything You Need to Know About Basketball Court Dimensions
Of the two major American-invented sports — baseball and basketball — only one has gained worldwide popularity. We play baseball across parts of the globe, but we play basketball worldwide. You can play with as few as two people and as many as ten. Shoot hoops indoors and outdoors and on any surface hard or flat enough to bounce a ball.
Indoor courts are usually made from hardwood, though other, more easily-maintained surfaces are gaining in popularity. Outdoor courts can be either asphalt or concrete. You can put a permanent basketball court just about anywhere you would like. Don’t have the room for a full-length court? Fitting just a half court into your driveway, backyard, or commercial gym would be just as useful.
So, have a space in mind and wondering “What are the dimensions of a basketball court?” Let’s take a look at the standard sizes for every level of basketball, from high school all the way up through international competition.
NBA Basketball Court DimensionsThe National Basketball Association, better known as the NBA, boasts the largest court dimensions of any level of basketball — domestic or international. The outer dimensions are 94 feet long by 50 feet wide. The half court line is, as the name would suggest, halfway between each end line. In the middle of the half court line is a tip-off circle with a six-foot radius, which often sports the home team’s logo.
The key is 16 feet wide and 19 feet from the baseline to the foul line. A semicircle with a six-foot radius extends from the foul line. Some courts have the other side of the half-circle drawn in a dotted line inside the key to complete the circle and create a clear boundary for any jump balls.
The backboard protrudes four feet out from the baseline, and the rim of the basket hangs 10 feet off the ground. Subtracting the four feet overhang from the 19-foot length of the key, we get the familiar 15-foot distance from the foul line to the front of the backboard. It’s a misconception that the foul line is 15 feet from the center of the basket. The backboard itself measures six feet wide and 42 inches high.
Inside the key, a four-foot arc is aligned with the center of the basket to designate the restricted arc. If a defender is inside this semicircle, he cannot draw a charging foul. Along both sides of the key, lines are drawn three feet apart to create the standing positions for other players during a free throw attempt, starting with a box that is seven feet from the baseline and one foot wide.
Outside the key, the three-point line forms an imperfect arc stretching one side of the baseline to the other. The arc isn’t a perfect circle because it would run out of bounds on the sides of the court.
Instead, the three-point line runs in a straight line from the baseline out 16 feet, nine inches, at which point the line begins to curve. The straight lines are an even 22 feet from the center of the basket, and on the arc, the distance is 23 feet and nine inches.
Starting at the baseline and running 28 feet toward the center of the court, a line bounds the team bench area. The line also acts as the starting place for inbounds passes after timeouts and fouls.
WNBA Basketball Court DimensionsThe Women’s National Basketball Association or WNBA’s court dimensions are identical to the NBA court in every way except the three-point line. Instead, the distance is equal to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) at 22.15 feet from the center of the hoop. WNBA teams share arenas and playing surfaces with the NBA, which is why it’s no wonder the court dimensions are so similar.
NCAA Basketball Court DimensionsNational Collegiate Athletic Association or NCAA basketball courts have similar dimensions to the NBA and WNBA, which include the:
- Court
- Foul line
- Backboard
- Basket height
- Tip-off circle
That said, there are a few significant differences in the dimensions of the NCAA court.
For starters, the key is only 12 feet wide, rather than 16. The first box on the side of the key is only six feet from the baseline, not seven. The restricted area under the basket is also one foot smaller, at three feet in diameter rather than the NBA’s four.
However, the most recognizable difference between the NBA’s court dimensions and the NCAA’s is the distance of the three-point line. The NCAA three-point line is only 20 feet, nine inches from the center of the basket. Because of the smaller diameter, it is a continuous arc from one side of the baseline to the other, with no straight lines necessary to create space on the sidelines.
The difference in three-point line distances is the biggest adjustment for shooters to make as they begin their professional careers, and also why it’s so difficult to project how well a player will shoot in the pros.
High School Basketball Court DimensionsHigh school basketball courts are a little different from their college and professional counterparts.
The most noticeable difference is that the court is a full 10 feet shorter, measuring only 84 feet. However, there are some similarities. The court is still 50 feet wide. The basket is also 10 feet off the ground.
The tip-off circle has a six-foot radius, just like the big kid courts, and while the high school landscape isn’t as standardized as college and professional basketball, the backboard is supposed to have the same measurements as the NCAA and NBA.
Just as in college and professional basketball, the foul line is 15 feet from the backboard, and the key is 19 feet long. It’s also the same 12 feet wide as the NCAA — four feet narrower than the NBA and WNBA.
The other visible difference is the distance from the three-point line. Shorter than either the NCAA or NBA, the high school free throw line is just 19 feet, nine inches from the center of the basket. Additionally, high school basketball courts do not have any restricted area under the basket, since that rule doesn’t exist in high school basketball.
FIBA Basketball Court DimensionsFIBA governs international basketball courts. The measurements for FIBA basketball courts differ from U.S. courts because of the difference between our Imperial measurements — feet and inches — and the more standard metric system.
FIBA courts are an even 28 meters long, which converts to almost 92 feet. The 15-meter width converts to just over 49 feet. The tip-off circle is a bit smaller as well, at 3.5 meters in diameter. This difference translates to a radius of about five feet, seven inches.
The key is almost the same size at 5.8 meters long and 4.8 meters wide. These numbers convert to within a few inches of 19 and 16 feet. The basket is 1.2 meters, or almost four feet, in from the baseline, which puts the foul line at 4.6 meters — 15 feet — away. The restricted area under the basket is 1.25 meters or just a shade more than four feet in radius.
The basket is still 10 feet off the ground, which means the biggest difference is the three-point line.
At the top of the arc, the three-point line is 6.75 meters from the center of the basket or 22.15 feet. This measurement works out to about 22 feet, two inches. The FIBA three-point line, which has also been adopted by the WNBA, is over a foot and a half closer than the NBA line.
The History of Basketball Court DimensionsSince its invention in 1891, basketball’s court dimensions have varied. Let’s look at some of its historical changes, as well as answering that nagging question — “Why are basketball hoops 10 feet high?” — below:
The Story Behind the 10-Foot High Hoop
It would appear the 10-foot basketball hoop is the result of a careful calculation that considers the human anatomy and mechanics of the game. After all, even the tallest players today have to jump to dunk a ball, and a ten-foot high rim gives a comfortable target to shoot for at a distance. But as we see so often in history, the truth is much more mundane.
When James Naismith dreamed up the game in Springfield, MA in 1891, the railing he chose to hang the baskets on was ten feet off the ground.
So, while everything else about the sport has changed since that first game, the baskets are still right where Dr. Naismith hung them.
The History of the Three-Point Line
The three-point line is arguably the most recognizable aspect of a basketball court’s dimensions and part of the reason why is attributed to the history surrounding this semicircle.
The first instance of the three-point line appeared in the American Basketball League in 1961, a full 70 years after Dr. Naismith invented the game. The line was added to increase excitement, but the league folded in just one and a half seasons, so the idea never had a chance.
In 1967, the next competitor to the NBA arrived. The American Basketball Association, or ABA, instituted the three-point line from the very start, and it was a huge success. The ABA had many exciting innovations that produced a better product for the fans. But ultimately, there was not enough room for two professional basketball organizations, so the NBA and ABA merged in 1976.
The three-point line, however, was not included in the merger! The decision-makers in the NBA at the time were too stubborn to adopt such a radical change. They held out for three years before implementing the three-point line in the 1979-1980 season. The NCAA didn’t integrate it until 1986, and it didn’t arrive on high school basketball courts until 1987.
That isn’t the end of the story, however. The line was moved closer for three seasons in the ‘90s to try to boost scoring, but it was quickly moved back to its original place. Taking the idea to the extreme, the NBA has even admitted to having discussions about a four-point line. Ultimately, we’ll believe it when we see it.
The Original Cage Matches
In the early days of professional basketball, the game was played inside an actual cage. The reasons were more about practicality than about safety. The rule for who got to inbound a ball that left the court was “whoever got to it first,” so organizers took to putting up a cage so the ball could never go out of bounds in the first place.
Those first basketball courts were about a third smaller than they are today, and the cages provided a physical boundary and an extra immovable for savvy teams. Could you imagine how much different the game of basketball would be today if those cages had stuck around?
The Alternative Key Designs
Today, basketball courts at all levels share a common design for the key — a rectangle measuring either 19 feet by 16 feet or 19 feet by 12 feet. However, this was not always the case. From the creation of FIBA in 1956 until 2010, the key was a trapezoidal design that was significantly wider at the baseline.
Another design of this feature is responsible for the name “key.” Have you ever thought about how a rectangular area under a basket got such a random name?
The reason is that the original area was much narrower, while the circle surrounding the free throw line was the same size. These two factors combined to create a shape that resembled an old-fashioned key.
In 1951, the key was widened to 12 feet and later to the 16 feet we see now in the NBA and FIBA.
While the term lives on, time has erased any record of its design and original reference. And for the record, the official name for this feature is “free throw lane,” which isn’t a phrase many of us hear often.
And that’s a wrap on the history of basketball’s court dimensions.
Build Your Basketball Court With PROformancePerhaps you don’t have 94 feet of flat asphalt or indoor floor space. Don’t worry, because residential half court setups can be just as fun. And whether you are looking to paint your court or apply a pre-made solution, sticking to the official dimensions will take your pickup games to the next level.
Take a look at our selection of goals, nets and accessories to bring your home’s court together. You’ll have a hard time dragging your kids off the court as they spend hours posting up like Boogie, slashing like LeBron and launching it from deep like Steph.
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 site. 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.
Gym marking - Rezcom
Author of the article
Khvatkov Dmitry
Consultant in the production of rubber coatings
Safety floor coverings made of painted rubber crumb are successfully used for arranging indoor gyms and playgrounds intended for playing volleyball, mini-football, badminton, basketball, handball. The final stage of the installation of the anti-slip coating is the implementation of a standardized marking of the playing area.
All lines must be performed in strict accordance with the current regulations, which are established by the international federations of the respective sports. The gym area itself should be flat, the surface should be hard and uniform. Any unevenness in the form of protruding parts, depressions, cracks, etc. not allowed.
What paint is used
If a special multi-colored marking tape on a self-adhesive basis can be used to mark the floors of sports halls on linoleum, then in the case of rubber seamless floors, 2-component polyurethane compounds of foreign production are used.
Such paints are prepared in compliance with the technology by mixing the two components immediately before application.
Unlike one-component paints, polyurethane coatings remain plastic even after complete drying, therefore they do not peel off when the rubber base is deformed.
The two-component composition has excellent adhesion, the paint fits well and is fixed monolithically over a long period of intensive use of the site. The marking made with polyurethane paint does not fade and is not erased under significant loads. The paint is safe, because after a few hours after complete drying, the solvent and other toxic products do not remain in the composition.
When zoning a playing field with a rubber coating, it is possible to use integrated markings using pigmented (colored) rubber crumb.
Features of marking the playing field
The coloring composition has a dense structure, which avoids smudges. Subject to the application technology, the lines are smooth and clear.
The main colors for drawing borders are white, light gray, yellow, red and blue.
Often, when arranging a gym on one sports ground, markings are applied simultaneously for different sports, for example, for football and basketball. In such cases, to avoid confusion, a 2-component paint of the same composition is used, but in different colors.
Since the composition based on polyurethane polymerizes quickly, the paint is stirred in a small amount that can be used up within two hours. The optimum air temperature for working with paint is 18-25 degrees, humidity is not more than 65%. Painting is carried out after careful preparation of the base, cleaning and drying of the surface of the site.
The lines are applied in accordance with the scheme, manually using a special roller. If the lines are long and the delivery time of the object is limited, then specialized marking machines are often used for marking.
In an open area, work on creating field boundaries is carried out in clear weather.
Application of the coating on a damp substrate is not permitted. For embossed surfaces, the contours of future lines should be pre-glued to prevent paint from flowing beyond the borders.
Gym marking requirements
- All lines must stand out against the main background. More often, white or light gray paint is used to decorate school gyms.
- The boundaries must be clearly visible from anywhere on the playing field.
- The width of the marking lines when creating a playing field for volleyball, handball, basketball should be 50 mm, for badminton - 40 mm, for mini-football - 80 mm.
- Marking lines are subjected to intense mechanical stress during operation, so the paint must be wear-resistant.
- Sites for official events must be marked according to the standards; for small school and amateur gyms, scaling the marking down is allowed.
- At the stage of designing a sports field, it should be taken into account that for most sports it is necessary to provide an auxiliary space outside the main field of the playing field.
Sports markings
For each sport, there are agreed standards for the dimensions of the playing field, the color and width of the markings, approved by the relevant sports federations. School gyms are often too small for standard markings - in this case, they resort to scaling, i.e. to reduce the format in proportion to the size of the hall.
Volleyball
The requirements for the arrangement of the volleyball field are approved by the standard of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB). The standard dimensions of a volleyball field are as follows: length - 18 m, width - 9 m.
Basketball
The requirements for the organization of a basketball court in an indoor gym are approved by the standard of the International Basketball Federation. The site should be flat with a hard surface, there should be no bends, cracks or other obstacles. The standard dimensions of a basketball field are 16x28 meters.
Badminton
The requirements for the preparation of a badminton court are approved by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) standard.
