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
