Basketball Court Buying Guide

This basketball court buying guide was designed to help you build the perfect basketball court for your driveway, backyard, school, church, playground, or recreational facility. Whether you are designing an indoor or outdoor court, the same basic factors will go into planning: determining size and layout, choosing the flooring surface, and picking the right basketball goal. Referring to official basketball court dimensions is helpful if you are building a residential backyard basketball court, and of course is essential for building courts that conform to all college and high school regulations. At First Team, we manufacture a complete line of basketball goals for every situation, including portable basketball goals, fixed height basketball goals, and adjustable basketball goals. We also offer roof mount goals, which are ideal for homes where there is not enough room for a backboard and basket on a pole set into the ground. Basketball is a great sport that is fun for players of every age and ability, whether you are playing on a team or just playing a casual pick up game with friends and family on the weekends. Call First Team today for more information on choosing the right basketball goal system for your home, school, or commercial court.

Competition Grade Courts

What are the differences between high school basketball, college, and NBA courts?

The first step in the basketball court design process is determining who will be using the court and for what purpose. If it will be an indoor court for competition level play, the basketball court and backboard must meet NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) or National High School Federation regulations. Although there are many similarities between high school basketball, college, and National Basketball Association (NBA) courts, if you consult a diagram, you will see that there are also differences when it comes to features like the shape and size of the three-point arc, width of the free throw lane (the "paint"), and the radius of the restricted area arc (the restricted arc is not present on a high school court). The three-point line is 20 feet 9 inches in college and 19 feet 9 inches in high school. The NBA three point line is 22 feet, as measured where a line parallel to the baseline intersects the long axis of the court and the center of the basket. This is because the NBA three point arc is not a true arc as in NCAA and high school. The NBA arc is formed by the straight lines on the side of the three-point line which are three feet from the sideline in a zone starting at the baseline, and ending when it crosses the 23' 9' arc at the top of the key. One basketball court dimension which is consistent for all levels of play is the distance of the free throw line / foul line: 15 feet from the front of the backboard (not from the center of the rim). Another consistent measurement is that the front of the rim is 24 inches from the backboard. Referring to a template is the best way to see how all of the markings on basketball courts work together.

Residential Courts

The basketball court buying guide for residential courts covers many options. Look at pictures of home basketball courts, and you will see everything from a portable basketball goal at the end of the driveway to professionally installed full sized regulation backyard courts with custom logos and high end flooring. These are questions to ask when designing a basketball court for a home:

• What are the ages of the players who will be using it? An adjustable hoop with a free-throw line might be fine for young kids, while a more serious player will definitely want a three point line for perfecting his long field goal shots.

• How much space do you have? Plan on at least 30 - 32' for a driveway court with a regulation NCAA three point line, accounting for the line distance and the backboard extending out from the base at least 3 - 4 feet. Make sure that there is sufficient space beyond the three-point line so the player's foot does not cross the line when he goes to shoot. Regulation NBA and NCAA basketball court dimensions measure 94' long x 50' wide. If you have room in the back of your house for a full sized court with the center circle (6 foot outside radius) for the jump ball, go for it! Then when your friends ask, "Where's the best basketball court near me?", you can tell them it's at your house.

• How much can you invest? Prices vary tremendously, depending on the size of the court, how the lines are applied, the type of surface used, and the basketball goal selected. If you are ambitious or on a limited budget, there are stencil marking kits available to apply the required 2 inches wide straight line and curved line markings directly on your concrete or blacktop driveway. Wood game court surfaces are traditional for indoor courts, while game court tiles are popular basketball court surfaces for premium playground or backyard basketball courts. Passionate basketball players in cold weather areas can even layer radiant heating under the court surface to keep it clear of snow all year long. Some families opt for multi-purpose courts made of shock-absorbing materials that are also used as tennis courts or for other sports. While budget will naturally enter into the decision-making process, most homeowners find that they get the most value from their courts when they invest in durable materials with long warranties.

Contact First Team for more assistance planning the right type of court for your home.

Complete Your Court With the Right Goal

One of the most important pieces in court design is shopping for the basketball goal. There are numerous combinations of backboard sizes and materials, post construction, hoop types, nets, specialty features, and accessories. Indoor competition courts optimally have wall mount basketball goals. Tempered glass backboards offer the best shot rebounding and play, while acrylic provides a similar look to glass at a lower cost. Other backboard materials include fiberglass, smoked tempered glass, steel, and perforated aluminum. An NBA or NCAA regulation backboard has a width of 72 inches, and this is also an excellent choice for a residential court to simulate a more realistic playing experience and to practice for team sports. Whenever players of different ages or abilities will be using the hoop, it makes sense to choose an adjustable goal that can be changed from about 6 feet high up to regulation 10 feet tall. Portable systems are perfect for spaces where it is not feasible to permanently install a goal. First Team makes portable goals that are suitable for homes, recreation centers, and gymnasiums.

What are some home basketball court essentials?

• Bleachers and chairs or benches for ring side seating

• Ball carriers

• Safety padding for posts, bases, and backboards to protect players from collisions beneath the basket and in the post area

• Ball retention nets to keep stray balls from damaging property

• Handle locks for adjustable goals

• Rebounder training aids

Since 1996, First Team, Inc. has been manufacturing top quality sporting goods equipment for basketball, lacrosse, soccer, volleyball, and football. Based in Hutchinson, Kansas, we are dedicated to Made In the USA domestic manufacturing, quality assurance, friendly customer service, and providing the safest, most durable and dependable products available every time. We are proud to be the top choice of athletic directors, coaches, facility directors, equipment managers and homeowners across the nation. Call us today with questions about our basketball court buying guide and to find the right First Team basketball goal for your field house, gymnasium, playground, or home.