Home>Team Sports>Basketball>Basketball Rules
Last updated: Jan 23, 2023
Table of Contents
- Court Components
- The Basket, Backboard, and Net
- Baseline
- Sidelines
- Front Court and Back Court
- The Center Circle
- Three-Point Line
- The Paint
- Low Blocks
- Hash Marks
- Restricted Area
- FAQ
Court Components
There are a few major components of a basketball court that every fan, coach, and player must know. During a basketball game or practice, you may hear these components called by multiple names:
- Basket, Backboard, and Net
- Baseline and Sidelines
- Front Court and Back Court
- Center Circle/Jump Circle
- Three-point Arc/Three-point Line
- Lane/Paint/Key/Free Throw Lane
- Low Blocks
- Hash Marks
- Restricted Area
The Basket, Backboard, and Net
The most important component of a basketball court is the basket. Every basket has a net and a rim attached to a backboard. With two located on opposite ends of the court, the basket is where all scoring happens in basketball.
Baseline
The baselines, also known as the end lines, are boundary lines that run underneath the basket on each side of the court.The baseline measures 50 feet in length from sideline to sideline on most courts. If a player steps on or over the baseline while holding the ball, they will be ruled out of bounds and must turn the ball over to the opponent. The baseline is also used for inbounding the ball after play has stopped near the rim.
Sidelines
The sidelines are boundary lines that make up the long edges of the court. Sidelines measure 94 feet on a regulation basketball court. If a player steps on or over the sidelines with possession of the ball, they are out of bounds, and play is whistled dead. The sidelines are also where players stand when inbounding the ball, unless it is near the rim.
Front Court and Back Court
The midcourt line is located exactly in the middle of the court and divides it into two equal-sized pieces called the frontcourt and backcourt. The frontcourt and backcourt are relative to which team has possession of the ball.The team that has possession of the ball has the basket it is defending located in the backcourt. The frontcourt is wherever the offensive team is trying to make a basket.
The Center Circle
Also known as the jump circle, the center circle is located in the middle of the court and is split in half by the midcourt line.It is used to put the ball into play with jump balls, which happen to begin each game.
Three-Point Line
The three-point line is an arc on both the frontcourt and the backcourt of a basketball court and is a very important component. When a player shoots from behind the arc of the three-point line, they are awarded three points.They are only awarded two points if they shoot from inside the three-point line.
The Paint
Also known as the lane, the key, or the free throw lane, the paint is an area of the court surrounding the hoop.There are specific rules in basketball tied to the paint, like the 3-second rule, which penalizes any player that spends longer than three seconds in the painted area.
Low Blocks
There are two areas located on the edges of the paint called the low blocks. They are mostly used in play design by coaches to show where certain players should position themselves during a basketball game.
Hash Marks
Hash marks are a series of small lines connected to the edges of the paint. These are mainly used for non-shooting players to line up in between during free throws.They can also be used in play designs by coaches.
Restricted Area
In the NBA and NCAA, there is an area in the paint called the restricted area. It's marked by a small ark and is used to stop defensive players from standing underneath the basket to draw an easy foul. Players in the restricted area will not be able to draw a charging foul on an offensive player’s drive to the basket.
FAQ
What are the dimensions of a basketball court?
A basketball court is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide.The sidelines and the baselines make up the boundary of a basketball court and are called “boundary lines.” The baselines measure 50 feet long on either side, and the sidelines are 94 feet.
What is the area of a basketball court?
Since a basketball court is a rectangle, the area of a basketball court is determined by multiplying the length of the baseline by the length of the sideline. Therefore, 94 feet (sideline) multiplied by 50 feet (baseline) equals 4,700 square feet.
What are the parts of a basketball court?
There are nine basic parts to any basketball court. These include the basket, the baseline, the sidelines, the center circle, the three-point line, the paint, low blocks, hash marks, and the restricted area. These nine parts each have their own set of rules and are divided into a front court and a back court depending on who has possession of the ball.
Pages Related to Basketball Court Components
- Basketball Bonus
- Basketball Court Lines
- Basketball Clocks And Time
- Basketball Dribbling
- Basketball Basket Interference
- Basketball Double Bonus
FAQs
Basketball court dimensions in feet
| Court aspect | Dimensions |
|---|
| Length | 91.86ft |
| Width | 49.21ft |
| Height | 22.96ft |
| Playing area | 4520.43ft² |
1 more rowJun 24, 2020
Court dimensions
The court is a flat, hard surface free from obstructions, 28m long and 15m wide, measured from the inner edge of the boundary line. The backcourt is the team's own basket, inbounds part of the backboard and the part of the playing court limited by their own endline, side lines and centre line.
What are the back lines on the court called? ›
Baseline/Endline
They are located four feet behind the basket, and normally have a width of 50 feet. Baseline and Endline are interchangeable terms depending upon which team has ball position. Baseline is used for the offensive end of the court. Endline is used for the back court or defensive end of the court.
What is the middle of a basketball court called? ›
The Center Circle is a 12 foot diameter circle located in the center of the court. It is used to start the game and other jump ball situations. On jump balls, non-jumpers must remain outside the circle until the ball is tapped by one of the jumpers. Next, take a look and the names of the various areas of the court.
What is the middle portion of a basketball court called? ›
The mid court line divides the court in half. Offensively, once the ball crosses the Mid Court Line, it becomes a boundary line reducing the offensive playing area to just half of the court. Also, on most levels, the offensive team only has 8 to 10 seconds to advance the ball across the mid court line.
What do the lines on a basketball court mean? ›
The lines that run the length of the basketball court and mark the boundary are called the “sidelines", whilst the lines that are marked out behind each backboard are called the “endlines”, or sometimes the “baselines”.
What are the ideal basketball court dimensions? ›
Court Dimensions:
Professional NBA and College Basketball court is 94 feet (29 m) by 50 feet (15 m). International Basketball the court 28 meters (92 ft) by 15 meters (49 ft). High school, and Junior High court 84 feet (26 m) by 50 feet (15 m).
What is the perimeter of a basketball court? ›
The length is 42 ft longer than the width.
How many pieces are in a basketball court? ›
A: Large sections of maple hardwood floor. There are 4-by-7-foot or 4-by-8-foot sections. All three floors are different sizes: Siena's is 60 by 120 (feet), MAAC was 60 by 112 and NCAA is 60 by 116. It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle of about 200 pieces.
What is the NBA 3 point line distance? ›
The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by competition level: in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the arc is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) from the center of the basket; in the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the National ...
Adjust accordingly to your line taping machine • Line widths are typically 2” • Using narrow tape, like 1” wide, is recommend when taping circles/arcs • On a full court, ensure that both courts are lined up from end to end. Run a string line from post to post to line each side up on center, if needed.
What are called the two lines at each end of the basketball court? ›
Although the court has no definite size, the inner markings are very precise: The baseline - this is the end line of a basketball court. The free throw line – this line marks the end of a 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and 4.9 m (16 ft) long rectangle. However, at all other levels the line is only 4.6 m (15 ft) long.
What is the name of the curved line on the court? ›
The arc isn't a perfect circle because it would run out of bounds on the sides of the court. Instead, the three-point line runs in a straight line from the baseline out 16 feet, nine inches, at which point the line begins to curve.
What is the name of the line at the base of the basketball hoop? ›
Baseline. The baseline or endline is the boundary line running the end of the court, and usually measures 50 feet long. Inbounds passes after made baskets are taken from the baseline.
How many sections is the basketball court divided into? ›
Basketball is a team sport. Two teams of five players each try to score by shooting a ball through a hoop elevated 10 feet above the ground. The game is played on a rectangular floor called the court, and there is a hoop at each end. The court is divided into two main sections by the mid-court line.
How many sections are there in basketball? ›
Each game is divided into sections. All levels have two halves. In college, each half is twenty minutes long. In high school and below, the halves are divided into eight (and sometimes, six) minute quarters.
Where are the blocks on a basketball court? ›
The block is a spot on the lane line near the basket that is used to line up for free throws. There are 2 blocks near each basket. The block is also used as a location on the court in which coaches will ask their players to position themselves on.
What kind of floor is a basketball court? ›
Standard asphalt is the most common outdoor basketball court surface. Indoor surfaces range from synthetic materials like PU (polyurethane) to natural materials like hardwood.
