Basketball Court Dimensions

Basketball is one of the most widely followed games in the world and is played by many countries. Perhaps it is the very nature of the game which makes it so widely viewed. The intensity, the adrenaline rush and the passion with which the players play is infectious. So many names come to mind when one says basketball; Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett... and many more! But due to the disparity between the FIBA rules and the NBA rules, there is some ambiguity about the timings and the dimensions of a basketball court. So with this article, I intend to clarify the matter of basketball court dimensions once and for all.

Basketball Court Measurements: FIBA
FIBA, the International Basketball Federation is the governing body for basketball in the world. All international basketball matches come under the purview of FIBA. FIBA also holds a quadrennial basketball event featuring the national basketball teams of the member nations. These matches are played according to the rules for court measurements and playing time as decided by FIBA.

Hence for international basketball matches, the dimensions of a basketball court are different from those defined by the NBA. A basketball court for a FIBA organized game is 28m (91.85ft) in length and 15m (49.21ft) in breadth. The basket rim is at a height of 3.05m (10ft) above the playing area. On a FIBA court, the diameter of the restraining circle is 1.22m (4ft). The free throw line of the key area is 3.6m (11.81ft) from the backboard on the court while the end line is 6m (19.69ft) from the backboard. The three point line is drawn 6.25m (20.5ft) from the backboard and the free throw line is 4.6m (15.09ft) from the backboard. The diameter of the center circle is 3.6m.

Basketball Court Measurements: NBA
NBA is one of the most widely followed formats of basketball all over the world. Think NBA and the first names that come to your mind are LA Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, etc. NBA made its own format to test the players on a larger court and a hoop height more than what is prescribed by FIBA. NBA is an acronym for National Basketball Association of the US. According to NBA rules, basketball court measurements are as follows.

The length of an NBA court is 28.65m (94ft) and its breadth is 15.24m (50ft). The rim is located at the same height as it is according to the FIBA measurements i.e. 3.05m (10ft). The diameter of the restraining circle is also the same as on a FIBA court i.e. 1.22m (4ft). The key area on the court is 4.88m (16ft) wide. The 3-point line on the court is 7.24m (23.75ft) from the backboard and the free throw line is 15ft from the backboard.

So these were the basketball court dimensions as given under the two most widely followed basketball formats. Using these measurements of a basketball court, you can draw your own court, if you have the adequate playing surface!