Home / Basketball court dimensions

Specification · Updated 2026

There is no single
basketball court

Basketball court dimensions depend on who governs the game. An NBA and NCAA court is 94 by 50 feet. A high school court is 84 by 50. A FIBA court is 28 by 15 meters, about 91 ft 10 in by 49 ft 3 in. The rim is 10 feet high on all of them, and almost everything else, from the three-point line to the width of the key, changes with the level.

That is why a quote for "a basketball court" is meaningless until someone says which one.

Key figures

NBA and NCAA
94 × 50 ft (28.65 × 15.24 m)
FIBA
28 × 15 m (91 ft 10 in × 49 ft 3 in)
High school (NFHS)
84 × 50 ft (25.60 × 15.24 m)
Rim height
10 ft (3.05 m), all levels
Three-point line
NBA 23 ft 9 in; NCAA 22 ft 1.75 in; FIBA 6.75 m; high school 19 ft 9 in
Free-throw line
15 ft from the backboard, all levels
Backboard
72 × 42 in; rim 18 in diameter
Half court, typical residential
30 × 50 ft up to 47 × 50 ft

Free to cite with attribution and a link. Full set at courtbaseline.com/reference.

By governing body

What are the basketball court dimensions at each level?

Four rulebooks, four courts. The table is what a builder needs before pricing, because the lines are painted to one of these and cannot easily be changed later.

Sources: NBA Official Rules (Rule 1), NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Rules (Rule 1), FIBA Official Basketball Rules (Article 2), NFHS Basketball Rules (Rule 1). Free to cite with a link to this page.
ElementNBANCAAFIBAHigh school
Court94 × 50 ft94 × 50 ft28 × 15 m84 × 50 ft
Three-point arc23 ft 9 in22 ft 1.75 in6.75 m19 ft 9 in
Three-point, corners22 ft21 ft 8 in6.60 m19 ft 9 in
Key (lane) width16 ft12 ft4.90 m12 ft
Free-throw line from backboard15 ft15 ft4.60 m15 ft
Restricted area arc4 ft4 ft1.25 mnone
Rim height10 ft10 ft3.05 m10 ft
Backboard72 × 42 in72 × 42 in1.80 × 1.05 m72 × 42 in
Center circle12 ft dia.12 ft dia.3.60 m dia.12 ft dia.
Line width2 in2 in5 cm2 in

The free-throw distance is the one constant across every level besides the rim. The three-point line is the one that moves most, by almost 4 feet between high school and the NBA, and it is the line most often painted to the wrong rulebook on a private court.

Fig. 01

Where do the lines sit on a full court?

Basketball court plan, NBA and NCAA 94 by 50 feet Plan of a 94 by 50 foot court with a half-court line and center circle. At each end: a key 16 feet wide extending 19 feet from the baseline to the free-throw line, a free-throw circle, a restricted area arc under the basket, and a three-point arc at 23 feet 9 inches from the basket center, straightening to 22 feet in the corners. A dashed line marks the half-court footprint used for residential courts. KEY 16 ft 3-PT 23 ft 9 in CENTER 12 ft dia 94 ft / 28.65 m (NBA, NCAA) 50 ft / 15.24 m HALF COURT = 47 × 50 ft (left of the center line)
Fig. 01 — NBA and NCAA full court. A high school court is 10 ft shorter with a 19 ft 9 in arc and a 12 ft key. Sources: NBA Rule 1, NCAA Rule 1, NFHS Rule 1.

What size is a half court basketball court?

A regulation half court is 47 by 50 feet, exactly half of the 94 by 50 full court. Residential half courts are usually built smaller, and 30 by 50 feet is the most common backyard size because it holds the key, the free-throw circle and the full three-point arc with little waste.

Below 30 feet of depth the three-point arc is cut off. Below 40 feet of width the corners of the arc are lost. If you are deciding on a half court basketball layout, those two numbers are the ones to protect; everything else can flex. A 25 by 30 foot court is a shooting pad with a key, not a half court, and it plays like one.

Half courts are also where the rulebook choice matters most, because owners tend to want the NBA arc and the high school key, which is not a combination any league plays on. Pick one rulebook and paint to it, or accept that the lines are decorative.

How does a basketball court compare with other courts?

A full basketball court is larger than a tennis court and over five times a pickleball court. It is the biggest hard-surface court most facilities build.

Playing surfaces. Basketball and tennis both need additional run-off beyond the lines.
CourtDimensionsArea
Basketball, NBA and NCAA94 × 50 ft4,700 sq ft
Basketball, high school84 × 50 ft4,200 sq ft
Basketball, half court47 × 50 ft2,350 sq ft
Tennis, doubles78 × 36 ft2,808 sq ft
Padel65 ft 7 in × 32 ft 10 in2,153 sq ft
Pickleball44 × 20 ft880 sq ft

Common questions

Basketball court dimensions, answered

How big is a basketball court in feet?
94 by 50 feet for the NBA and NCAA, 84 by 50 feet for high school under NFHS rules. FIBA courts used in international play are 28 by 15 meters, roughly 91 feet 10 inches by 49 feet 3 inches. The rim is 10 feet high in every case, and the free-throw line is 15 feet from the backboard in every case.
How far is the three-point line?
It depends on the level. NBA: 23 feet 9 inches at the top, 22 feet in the corners. NCAA men and women: 22 feet 1.75 inches. FIBA: 6.75 meters, about 22 feet 2 inches. High school: 19 feet 9 inches, a single radius with no corner straightening. This is the line most often painted to the wrong rulebook on a private court.
What are the dimensions of a backyard basketball court?
Most backyard courts are half courts between 30 by 50 feet and 47 by 50 feet. Thirty feet of depth keeps the full three-point arc; fifty feet of width keeps the corners. Smaller pads of around 25 by 30 feet are common and work for shooting, but they truncate the arc and cannot host a real half-court game.
How wide is the key on a basketball court?
16 feet in the NBA, 12 feet in the NCAA and in high school, and 4.90 meters, about 16 feet 1 inch, under FIBA. The key runs from the baseline to the free-throw line, which is 15 feet from the backboard at every level, so the key is about 19 feet long measured from the baseline.
Is an indoor basketball court the same size as an outdoor one?
The painted court is identical; the surface and the surroundings differ. Indoors, the rulebooks require run-off of at least 3 feet beyond the lines, and most facilities build 6 to 10 feet. Outdoors, run-off is whatever the site allows, and fencing or landscaping usually sets it. Ceiling height indoors should clear 23 feet at minimum for a regulation game, more for a long shot.

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