Basketball court

In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor with tiles at either end. In professional or organized basketball, especially when played indoors, it is usually made out of a wood, often maple, and highly polished. Outdoor surfaces are generally made from standard paving materials such as concrete or asphalt.

Basketball courts come in different sizes and colors. In the NBA, the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m). Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the court is minutely smaller, measuring exactly 28 by 15 metres (92 by 49 ft). A high school court is slightly smaller, at 84 by 50 feet (26 by 15 m). In amateur basketball, court sizes vary widely. The baskets are always 10 feet (3.0 m) above the floor (except possibly in youth competition). Basketball courts have a three-point arc at both baskets. A basket made from behind this arc is worth three points; a basket made from within this line, or with a player's foot touching the line, is worth 2 points. The free-throw line, where one stands while taking a foul shot, is located within the three-point arc at 15 feet from the basket. A foul shot is worth 1 point, but if a shot is made from the foul line while in play it is still worth 2 points.

The height of the underside of the roof structure, or the ceiling if there is one, above the floor is specified by each sport’s governing body, and this is a critical design factor. Badminton, tennis and trampolining require an unrestricted height of 9.1m for international competition, while 7.6m is necessary at C level in all sports except those for which height is not critical. In general a basketball court should have a minimum clearance of 25 feet (7.7m), although a ceiling height of at least 27 feet (8.23m) is recommended.

A diagram of a FIBA basketball court

Composite diagram of a basketball court with FIBA (top half only), NBA (both halves), and NCAA (men’s & women’s – bottom half only) markings

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