Knowing the size of the Nba basketball court is important if you are going to get professional basketball equipment. Knowing how big is an nba basketball court equipment wise is not only prudent, but will it will also ensure that you practice like the pros on your skills.
Basketball has gained worldwide popularity over the years. You can play with anywhere from two to ten people. The National Basketball Association, or NBA, has the largest court dimensions for any basketball game level – international or domestic.
Basketball courts come in different sizes and differentiating professional Nba basketball court size from College and high school courts is necessary if you are going to get yourself the right equipment depending on your skills.
In this article, we answer the most pressing question for most players looking to make it to professional level – How big is an nba basketball court equipment. Furthermore, we also highlight the rules of the game, fouls and violations, as well as player positions to help you understand the game better. So, without further ado, let’s go to it.
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NBA Basketball Court Dimensions
The outer dimensions of the court are as follows – 94 feet by 50 feet. Halfway between each line lays the half court line. The tip-off circle has a six-foot radius found in the middle of the half court. This is where the logo of the home team is usually found.
The Key
From the baseline to the foul line is the key (also called “the lane” at times) which is 16 feet by 19 feet. From the foul line extends a semicircle with a six-foot radius. In order to create a clear boundary for jump balls, the courts may have the rest of the semi-circle drawn in a dotted line within the key.
The Foul Line
Four feet out from the baseline is the backboard and the edge of the basket hangs 10 feet from the ground. From the 19-foot length of the key we subtract the four feet overhang to get the 15-foot distance from the front of the backboard to the foul line. The foul line is 18 feet and 10 inches (to be precise) from the baseline.
The Restricted Arc
The restricted arc is designated by a four-foot arc that is lined up with the center of the basket. A charging foul cannot be drawn if the defender is inside this semi-circle. Lines are drawn three feet apart, along the sides of the key, to create standing positions for players during a free throw.
The 3 Point Line (Arc)
An imperfect arc outside the key forms the three-point line stretching from one side of the baseline to the other. It is an arc and not a perfect circle otherwise it would run out of bounds of the court sides. Instead, it runs in a straight line from the baseline and at 16 feet and 9 inches from the baseline it begins to curve.
These straight lines are at 22 feet from the center of the basket while their distance on the arc is 23 feet and 9 inches. Below, you will find a table that shows the basketball court dimensions.
COURT LINES | SIZE |
Court | 55 feet length x 50 feet width |
Free-Throw Line | 15 feet length x 12 feet width |
Three-Point Line | 23 feet and 8 inches |
Three-Point Sideline | 22 feet |
The Team Bench Area
The team bench area is bound by a line that starts at the baseline and runs 28 feet towards the middle of the court. This line also marks the starting place for inbound passes post timeouts and fouls.
NBA Basketball Court Equipment Dimensions
In this section, we shall take a look at the dimensions of the various equipments that one can find in basketball.
The Backboard
The backboard is a rectangle that measures 6 feet horizontally and three and a half feet vertically. The front of it is flat and transparent. The transparent backboard is market with a 2 inch white line in the shape of a rectangle. The dimensions of this rectangle are 24 inches horizontally and 18 inches vertically.
The Basket
The baskets have a metal safety ring 18 inches in diameter and a white cord net 18 inches in length. The cord of the net cannot be less than 30 threads or more than 120 threads. Additionally, these need to be constructed to check that the ball passes through the basket.
The Basket Ring
The basket ring is attached securely to the backboard. The upper edge is 10 feet above and parallel to the floor. These also must be at a distance equal from the vertical edges of the board. The inside edge of the ring is 6 inches from the face of the plane. It is also painted in orange color.
The Ball
The NBA approved ball weighs between seven and a half to eight and a half pounds. Additionally, it has to be 29 inches round. If you want your game to have the same amount of professionalism as NBA then you have to make available a minimum of nine balls for each team for pre-game warm-up.
For an in-depth picture of all the dimensions of the court as well as the equipment, visit the official nba site. Below you will find a table that shows the basketball equipment dimensions.
EQUIPMENT | SIZE |
Basketball Rim Height | 10 feet |
Diameter of the Rim | 18 inches |
Backboard | 6 feet and 3 and a half feet(LxW) |
Basketball | 29 inches round |
Basketball Court Comparison
NBA basketball court has gone through changes over the year. On TV, it may not look as big as the dimensions suggest. But it can be hard to really gauge the size of the players and the court from the screen itself. Let us compare the professional NBA court to other leagues such as FIBA, NCAA, high-school basketball, and the like.
LEAGUE | DIMENSIONS IN FEET (LENGTH X WIDTH) |
NBA | 94 x 50 |
FIBA | 92 x 49 |
WNBA | 94 x 50 |
NCAA | 94 x 50 |
High School | 85 x 50 |
Jr. High | 70-75 x 40-45 |
Three-point Line Comparisons
There is a big jump from college to NBA which is why many players tend to struggle for the first couple of years in the NBA, especially when shooting from the three-point line. The extra foot makes a world of difference. Here is a chart to help you compare better:
LEAGUE | DISTANCE |
NBA | 23 ft. 9 inches |
FIBA | 22 ft. 1 inch |
WNBA | 22 ft. 1.75 inches |
NCAA | 22 ft. 1 inch |
High School | 19 ft. 9 inches |
Jr. High | 19 ft. 9 inches |
Basketball Size Comparisons
Of course, the basketball size differences are going to have a major impact as well which depends completely on the basketball league. Hereunder, you shall find a comparison table to help you understand the differences in size:
LEAGUE | BASKETBALL SIZE IN INCHES |
NBA | 29.5 |
FIBA | 29.5 |
WNBA | 28.5 |
NCAA | 29.5 |
High School | 29.5 |
Jr. High | 28.5 |
The Rules
Fortunately, the rules are relatively straightforward. Two teams of five individuals try to score by shooting the ball through the hoop. In case the offensive team has the ball in play behind the mid-court line, it has ten seconds to get the ball over the line. If the team is not able to do so, the other team gets the ball.
The team with the ball is called ‘the offense’ while the team without it is called ‘the defense’. The ball moves down the court towards the basket through dribbling or passing. The defense tries to steal the ball, deflect passes, get rebounds, and contest shots.
The Points
A team gets two points when they make a basket and the ball goes to the other team. When the basket is made outside of the three-point arc, the team gets three points. One point is awarded on a free throw.
When a player fouls the shooter, two or three free throws are awarded to the shooter. This is dependent on where the shooter was when the foul was committed. If, for instance, he was beyond the three-point line, then three shots are awarded.
Some fouls do not result in free throws until a certain number of fouls are accumulated during the half, which are also called “team fouls”. When this number is reached, then the fouled player gets a 1-and-1 opportunity. The ball is live if the player misses the first shot.
Basket Assignment and Tip-Off
The teams are assigned a basket that they must defend. The other basket then becomes their scoring basket. The baskets, or goals, are switched at halftime. The game begins with one player from each time at the center court. Between these two players, the referee tosses the ball. The player who gets to the ball first tips it to his teammate. This is also termed the tip-off.
Fouls
Other than stealing the ball, there are other ways by which a team can get access to the ball. One such way is if the opponent commits a foul or violates the rules.
Personal Fouls
Personal fouls include illegal physical contacts which include pushing, hitting, slapping, holding, and illegal pick. If a player is shooting and is fouled, he is rewarded two free throws if he misses the shot, but only one if he doesn’t.
Three free throws are awarded if the player is fouled whilst throwing for a three-pointer and misses, but one if the shot goes in. This way, he could score four points with this play.
As for inbounds, the ball is given to the team when fouled upon while not shooting. The ball is awarded at the nearest side or baseline and the team has 5 seconds to pass the ball into court.
A one-and-one opportunity is given when the team that commits the foul has seven or more fouls in the game. The player fouled is given one free throw. If he can make the first shot, then another free throw is awarded.
If the fouling team has committed ten or more fouls, the fouled player gets two free throws.
Charging
This foul is committed when a player ends up pushing or running over a defense player. The team that was fouled upon is then given the ball.
Blocking
This is any illegal personal contact that results when a defender is not in an established position in time to prevent the opponent from shooting.
Flagrant Foul
This is any violent contact with an opponent. Instances of it include kicking, punching, and hitting. Such fouls results in free throws as well as the offensive retailing position of the ball after the free throws.
Intentional Foul
This foul is characterized by any physical contact made by another player without making any reasonable effort to get the ball. This is a judgment call that the officials have to make.
Technical Foul
This can be committed by both the players as well as the officials. This is more regarding player conduct and behavior. Such things as foul language, obscene gestures, and disagreeing with the officials can be termed technical foul.
Violations
Now we get to some of the different categories of violations that players need to be wary of.
Walking/Travelling
When a player takes more than “a step and a half” without dribbling, it is termed as travelling. It also includes moving the pivot foot when the player has stopped dribbling.
Carrying
This occurs when a player dribbles the ball too far to the side with his hand or, sometimes, even under the ball.
Double Dribble
When a player dribbles the ball with two hands on the ball, or when he picks up the dribble and dribbles again it is termed a double dribble.
Held Ball
At times, two or more player will get possession of the ball at the same time. To avoid any tussle between the players, the action is stopped and the referee awards the ball to the teams on a rotational basis.
Goal Tending
Goal tending can occur on a few occasions. If a defensive player touches the ball while it is on its way to the basket, towards the basket after touching the backboard, or when it’s in the cylinder, it is termed goal tending and the shot is counted. When it is committed by the offensive player, the ball is given to the defensive team for a throw-in.
Backcourt Violation
When the offensive brings the ball past the mid-court line, they are not allowed to take it back while in possession. If this happens, it is considered a backcourt violation.
Time Restriction
Five seconds are given to a player for him to pass the ball inbounds. If the time limit is exceeded, the ball is then awarded to the other team. Another time restriction includes the rule that a player cannot be in possession of the ball for more than five seconds while he’s closely guarded in.
Player Positions
Now, let us take a look at some of the player positions that can be beneficial to know in the game of basketball. In addition to knowing the NBA basketball court dimensions, these will ensure that players know what the various aspects of the game are termed.
Center
The centers are usually positioned near the basket and are generally the team’s tallest players.
Offensive – Centers are responsible for blocking, screening, to open the players up to drive the ball to the goal.
Defensive – When on defense, the responsibility of the center is to keep the opponents from driving or shooting by blocking passes and shots. Since they’re generally tall, they get a lot of rebounds.
Forward
Forwards are the next tallest players in the team. They can be called to operate in the wings, corner areas, and even to play under hoops.
Offensive – They are required to get free for passes, for taking outside shots, and get rebounds.
Defensive – The defensive responsibilities of forward include keeping the drives from the goal and rebounding.
Guard
These are generally the shortest players that are good at dribbling and passing. It is their job to get the ball down the goal and set up play.
Offensive – Guards have the responsibility to dribble, pass, and set up offensive play.
Defensive – When on the defense, the guards are responsible for stealing passes, preventing drives to the hoop, and contesting shots.
Conclusion
Basketball has always been a fascinating game that takes years of practice and dedication to master. With the correct understanding of the various aspects of the game alone will one be able to make headway into this famous sport.
We hope that through this article, you now have sufficient knowledge about the NBA basketball court dimensions, rules, and basic player positions. If you have any queries regarding the rules, game-play, and dimensions of the court and other equipment do let us know in the comment section below. We would love to answer all your queries and help you understand the game better.
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