In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with 3.048 meters -high rims on each basket. Outdoor surfaces are generally made from standard paving materials such as concrete or asphalt.
Concrete Court
These are the popular types of surfaces for outdoor basketball courts. In fact, nearly all who play basketball starts playing on concrete or asphalt court. Community parks use these materials for their basketball courts due to their strength and durability as well as the ability to withstand harsh weather conditions.
Regulation Sizes – Official Measurements:
Court Size Overall:
The Mens College Basketball (NCAA) court overall dimensions are 94 feet long and 50 feet wide.
The Foul Line:
For all courts the “foul line” distance is 15 feet from the foul line to the front of the backboard. The “foul line” is 18 feet 10 inches from the baseline.
The Key:
“The key” (sometimes called “the lane”) is 12 feet wide. Regulation courts have the backboard extending out 4 feet over the baseline into the key. A 6 foot arc (half circle) extends from the foul line away from the basket to complete the key.
The 3 Point Line (Arc):
Men’s College – the 3 point arc is 20 feet 9 inches.
The Backboard and Rim:
The regulation distance from the ground to the top of the rim is 10 feet for all levels of play. Regulation backboards are 6 feet wide (72 inches) by 42 inches tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches in diameter. The inner square on the backboard is 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall.
All line markings on the floor are 2 inches wide and can vary in color.
The Restricted Arc
The restricted area arc is a semi-circular arc drawn around the area directly underneath the basket. Defensive players whose feet are inside this arc cannot draw charging fouls. On NCAA courts (both men’s and women’s) the restricted are arc’s radius is 3 feet (0.91 m) from the center of the basket.
