Basketball Court Dimensions

One of the most common questions heard by the novice basketball fan is, “what is the dimension of a basketball court?” Standard basketball court dimensions are used throughout professional basketball, both in the NBA and WNBA. The most significant basketball court dimension to know is that professional basketball courts are 94 feet in length and are 50 feet wide. Some of the most common features in the official dimensions of a basketball court are the center circle, which is 12 feet in diameter, and the free throw line, which is 19 feet from the baseline and 15 feet from the backboard.

Another important factor in the dimensions of a basketball court is the wide of the backboard, which is 72 inches, as well as the height of the net, which is 10 feet from the floor. Other basketball court layout dimensions include the team bench area that is 28 feet long beginning at each baseline and the three point line, which at its apex is 6 feet beyond the free throw line. In relation to the sidelines, the three point line is 63 inches away (or 22 feet from the center of the rim) when intersecting with the baseline or end line. The dimensions of a basketball court are standard throughout the professional ranks. This includes the basketball backboard dimensions which are 72 inches in width and 42 inches in height. There is an inner rectangle painter on the backboard that is 24 inches wide and 18 inches high. The official rim and court dimension of a profession basketball court is universal at 18 inches in diameter with the center of the rim being 15 inches from the backboard.

College basketball court dimensions are very similar to those of the professionals. The only significant difference is that the three point line in NCAA basketball is slightly closer than its professional counterpart. When considering high school basketball court dimensions, it is important to note that there is a difference between court length and width for senior high school and junior high school. In senior high school the court is 84 feet long and 50 feet wide. In junior high school the court measures 74 feet by 42 feet. This is the only real difference when measuring the dimensions of a school basketball court. Elementary school basketball court dimensions vary around the country with some schools choosing to lower the net to 8 feet from the floor. Children’s basketball court dimensions are usually at the discretion of those supervising and most often are made for the young player to have some level of significant achievement.

When considering basketball court dimensions it is important to remember the skill level of those involved and adjust certain lines accordingly.