Basketball court

A basketball court is a special playing area used for the sport of basketball. It has a flat, rectangular floor and a basket at each end. In most indoor courts, the floor is made from polished wood, often maple, and the baskets are placed 10 feet high. Outdoor basketball courts are usually made from concrete or asphalt. Some international competitions even use glass basketball courts, which look very shiny and modern.

Dimensions

Basketball courts come in many different sizes. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), the court is 94 by 50 feet (about 28.7 by 15.2 meters). Under International Basketball Federation (FIBA) rules, the court is a bit smaller, measuring 28 by 15 meters (about 91.9 by 49.2 feet). In amateur basketball, court sizes can vary a lot. Many older high school gyms had courts that were 84 feet (about 26 meters) or even 74 feet (about 23 meters) long. The baskets are always 10 feet (about 3.05 meters) above the floor.

Basketball courts have a three-point arc at both ends. A shot made from beyond this arc counts for three points, while a shot made from inside the arc counts for two points. The free-throw line, where players take foul shots, is located within the three-point arc, 15 feet from the backboard. A foul shot is worth one point.

Area	NBA		FIBA		WNBA		NCAA
	Imperial/US	Metric	Imperial/US	Metric	Imperial/US	Metric	Imperial/US	Metric
Court length	94 ft	28.65 m	91.86 ft	28 m	Same as NBA
Court width	50 ft	15.24 m	49.21 ft	15 m	Same as NBA
Rim height	10 ft	3.05 m	Same as NBA
No Charge Zone arc	4 ft	1.22 m	4.10 ft	1.25 m	Same as NBA		Men: Same as NBA
							Women: 9 in	22.9 cm
Center circle diameter	12 ft	3.66 m	11.81 ft	3.6 m	Same as NBA
3-point line distance from the basket	23.75 ft 22 ft in corner	7.24 m 6.70 m in corner	22.15 ft 21.65 ft in corner	6.75 m 6.60 m in corner	Main arc same as FIBA Corners same as NBA		Same as FIBA
Key (shaded lane or restricted area) width	16 ft	4.88 m	16.08 ft	4.9 m	Same as NBA		12 ft	3.66 m
Free-throw line distance from point on the floor directly below the backboard	15 ft	4.57 m	15.09 ft	4.6 m	Same as NBA
Diagram

Sections

Center circle

Only two players can enter this area before the game starts. These players jump when the referee throws the ball up, trying to tap it to a teammate.

Three-point line

The three-point line is the line that separates shots worth two points from shots worth three points. Any shot made beyond this line counts as three points. If the player steps on the line when shooting, it counts as two points. Fouls while shooting from beyond this line can give the player three free throws if the shot misses, or one if it goes in.

Perimeter

The perimeter is the area outside the free throw lane but inside the three-point line. Shots from this area are called "perimeter shots" or "outside shots".

Low post area

The low post is the area closest to the basket but outside the free throw lane. Good low post players can score many points without taking jump shots.

Key

Main article: key (basketball)

The key, also called the free throw lane or shaded lane, is the painted area under the basket. In the NBA, it is 16.02 feet wide. The key stops players from staying under the opponent's basket for too long—only three seconds are allowed.

Baseline

The baseline or endline is the line at the end of the court, usually 50 feet long. Players throw the ball back into the game from the baseline after a basket is made.

Other lines

NBA courts have special lines that mark where coaches can stand and where players wait to enter the game.

FIBA changes

In 2008, FIBA made several changes to court markings. These changes included making the key a rectangle like in the NBA and moving the three-point line farther back. These changes started for big international games in 2010 and became required for all games in 2012.