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Basketball Backboard Dimensions
Photo By: Rebeccafschu
The backboard is one of the most recognizable items on a basketball court. You may have seen it in many shapes and sizes, both indoors and outdoors and wondered exactly how big it is supposed to be. The official basketball backboard dimensions can be seen below.
Basketball Backboard Dimensions – 72 inches wide x 42 inches tall
This makes the backboard 6 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall, which is actually quite large when you think about it. These are the common dimensions for a backboard in the United States on any standard basketball court.
Inner Rectangle – 24 inches wide x 18 inches tall
The inner rectangle is the small box you can find directly above the hoop. It is a small rectangle, at just 2 feet wide and 1.5 feet tall, and is usually painted white. This is a traditional part of the backboard that has been around for decades. Many athletes use a part of this as a target for layups or when banking in jump shots.
Rim Height – 10 feet above ground
The top of the hoop is 10 feet above the ground at all levels of basketball. The hoop is traditionally painted orange with a white hoop underneath it.
These numbers all come from the NBA’s official website. The backboard is a flat object and usually made of Plexiglas. The clearness of glass makes the backboard more fan-friendly as fans’ view won’t be obstructed by a painted or wooden backboard. It also has to be strong enough to hold up to big athletes dunking and hanging on the rim.
While these numbers are official based of of governing bodies, unorganized basketball may have much different dimensions. Non-regulation basketball courts both indoors and outdoors could have any kind of backboard. For example, many local parks have uniquely sized and shaped backboards.
If you have been to many parks or seen homemade backyard hoops, you know that backboards come in all shapes and sizes. Oval shaped backboards are actually pretty common at many outdoor parks. You may have even seen someone who has used their garage as a backboard and mounted a hoop to it!
Whether you are looking into buying a replacement or are just curious, the dimensions listed above will give you what you need for a backboard.
