Basketball court dimensions
Official basketball court dimensions for the NBA, NCAA, high school (NFHS) and FIBA, drawn to scale in feet or meters. Every line is labeled, and the half-court planner tells you whether a key, a three-point arc or a full half court fits your driveway or backyard.
Basketball court diagram
Will a half court fit my driveway or backyard?
Depth is measured out from the edge where the hoop stands (the baseline). Using the NBA lines; change the rules above.
How to use the court diagram
- Choose the rules: NBA, NCAA (college), High school (NFHS rules, used by most US high schools) or FIBA (international and most of the world).
- Switch between feet & inches and meters. US courts are specified in feet and FIBA courts in meters; values converted from the other system are marked with ≈.
- The numbered circles on the left half match the list under the drawing. The court is drawn to scale, so you can see how much deeper the NBA arc is than the high school one.
- To plan a home court, enter your space in the planner. It checks three common options: just the key, the key plus a three-point arc, and a full half court.
Basketball court dimensions compared
| Measurement | NBA | NCAA | High school (NFHS) | FIBA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Court (length × width) | 94 × 50 ft | 94 × 50 ft | 84 × 50 ft | 28 × 15 m |
| Three-point line (arc) | 23 ft 9 in | 22 ft 1¾ in | 19 ft 9 in | 6.75 m |
| Three-point line in the corners | 22 ft | straight, FIBA shape | 19 ft 9 in | 6.60 m |
| Lane width | 16 ft | 12 ft | 12 ft | 4.90 m |
| Free-throw line | 15 ft from backboard | 15 ft from backboard | 15 ft from backboard | 5.80 m from end line |
| Backboard inside the baseline | 4 ft | 4 ft | 4 ft | 1.20 m |
| Backboard width | 6 ft | 6 ft | 6 ft | 1.80 m |
| Center of basket from baseline | 5 ft 3 in | 5 ft 3 in | 5 ft 3 in | 1.575 m |
| Rim height | 10 ft | 10 ft | 10 ft | 3.05 m |
| Center circle radius | 6 ft | 6 ft | 6 ft | 1.80 m |
| Restricted area / no-charge arc | 4 ft | 4 ft | none | 1.25 m |
All three-point distances are measured from the center of the basket. The NBA line becomes straight 3 ft in from each sideline, so the corner three is shorter than the top of the arc. Those straight sections run about 14 ft out from the baseline before they meet the arc. The high school line is a semicircle with short straight lines at each end that run from the baseline to the level of the basket, so the distance is the same everywhere. The NFHS describes 84 × 50 ft as the preferred high school size; many older gyms are smaller. Rules are reviewed every year, so check the current NFHS rules book or your state association before you paint lines.
How much space a half court needs
A home court rarely needs a full half court. These are the playing areas the planner checks, with no extra run-off:
- Key and free-throw circle: 25 ft deep (19 ft to the free-throw line plus the 6 ft circle). It is 16 ft wide with NBA lines and 12 ft wide with high school or college lines. FIBA: 7.6 × 4.9 m.
- Up to the three-point line: NBA 29 × 44 ft, high school 25 × 39.5 ft, FIBA about 8.33 × 13.2 m.
- Full half court: 47 × 50 ft (NBA and college), 42 × 50 ft (high school), 14 × 15 m (FIBA).
The planner assumes the hoop's backboard is at the regulation 4 ft (1.2 m) inside the baseline. A pole-mounted hoop usually stands behind the baseline, so add the space the pole and its overhang need on that side. Set a run-off if players need room to stop before a fence or a lawn.
Worked example: a 30 × 24 ft driveway
Take a driveway 30 ft deep and 24 ft wide with the hoop at the garage end, using high school lines. The key needs 25 × 12 ft, so it fits with 5 ft to spare in depth and 6 ft on each side. A full high school three-point arc needs 39.5 ft of width, 15.5 ft more than you have, and a full half court needs 42 × 50 ft. The best plan is to paint the lane, the free-throw line and the circle. Free throws are then real 15 ft shots, as in a game.
Tips for painting lines
- Start from the basket. Drop a plumb line from the center of the rim, mark that point on the ground, and measure the arc and free-throw line from there. Measuring from the pole gives the wrong distances.
- Draw the arc with a tape. Hold one end of a tape at the basket point and swing the other end at the arc radius, marking chalk dots every foot.
- Pick one rule set. Kids who play high school ball benefit from practicing on the 19 ft 9 in line and the 12 ft lane they will see in games.
- Check the hoop height. Regulation is 10 ft to the top of the rim; measure it after installing, as adjustable hoops are often off by an inch or two.
How we tested
We tested the geometry functions with Node. With NBA numbers the free-throw line comes out 19 ft from the baseline and the straight corner sections end 5.25 + √(23.75² − 22²) ≈ 14.2 ft from the baseline. With high school numbers the straight part is exactly 5 ft 3 in, and with FIBA numbers the corner line sits 0.9 m from the sideline. The planner's space needs match the list above for NBA, high school and FIBA, and a 30 × 20 ft driveway fits an NBA key but not an NBA arc. The formatter turns 6.75 m into 22 ft 1¾ in and 23.75 ft into 23 ft 9 in. We also measured the drawings in code: for all four rule sets the court's length-to-width ratio and the three-point radius relative to the court length match the table numbers. Every check passed.
Frequently asked questions
Is a college court the same size as an NBA court?
Yes, both are 94 × 50 ft. The differences are inside the lines: the NBA lane is 16 ft wide and its three-point arc is 23 ft 9 in, while NCAA courts have a 12 ft lane and a 22 ft 1¾ in arc. The hoop height and the free-throw distance are the same.
How tall is a basketball hoop?
10 ft from the floor to the top of the rim (3.05 m under FIBA rules) in the NBA, college, high school and international game. The rim's inside diameter is 18 in (45 cm in FIBA rules). Many leagues for young children lower the hoop, so check your league's rules if you coach small kids.
How much floor space does a full court need?
The playing area alone is 4,700 sq ft for a 94 × 50 ft court, 4,200 sq ft for a high school court (84 × 50 ft) and 420 m² (about 4,521 sq ft) for a FIBA court. Add clear space around the lines for benches, scorers and safe run-off.
Why do some gyms have two three-point lines?
Many gyms host more than one level of play. A high school gym that also hosts college or international games may paint two arcs in different colors, for example the 19 ft 9 in high school line and the 22 ft 1¾ in college line. Players use the line that matches the rules of the game being played.
Is the free-throw line distance measured from the baseline?
No, in US rules it is measured from the face of the backboard: 15 ft. Because the backboard sits 4 ft inside the baseline, the free-throw line is 19 ft from the baseline. FIBA measures from the end line instead: 5.80 m.
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