Basketball Court Dimensions: Full Size, Youth, and Key Measurements
A complete breakdown of basketball court dimensions — full-size NBA, FIBA, NCAA, and high school courts, youth and playground courts, plus the key, three-point line, and free-throw line measurements for each.
Standard Full-Court Dimensions (NBA vs. FIBA)
An NBA court measures 94 feet long by 50 feet wide (28.65m x 15.24m), the standard also used by NCAA and most U.S. high school courts. FIBA courts — used internationally, including Australia, Canada's national competitions, and most club and international play — are slightly smaller at 28m by 15m (about 91.9 feet by 49.2 feet). The difference is small enough that most facilities can host either level of play on the same court with minor line adjustments, which is why you'll often see both sets of markings painted on international or club gyms.
The Three-Point Line Differs More Than the Court Itself
The three-point distance varies more between levels than the court dimensions do. The NBA line sits 23.75 feet from the basket at the top of the arc (22 feet in the corners), the FIBA line is 6.75m (about 22.15 feet) from the basket at all points, and NCAA men's basketball uses 22.15 feet as well after adopting the FIBA-style distance. High school (NFHS) courts in the U.S. use a shorter 19 feet 9 inches, and many youth leagues shorten it further or omit it entirely for younger age groups. This is the single measurement most likely to trip up someone building or lining a court for a specific level of play.
The Key (Paint) and Free-Throw Line
The 'key' or 'paint' is the rectangular area under each basket, running from the baseline to the free-throw line. In the NBA it's 16 feet wide; FIBA and most other levels use a 16-foot (4.9m) wide, trapezoid-shaped key in older gyms, though FIBA moved to a rectangular key matching the NBA's shape in 2010. The free-throw line sits 15 feet from the backboard at every level of organized basketball — one of the few measurements that's stayed constant across NBA, FIBA, NCAA, and high school play.
Basket Height, Backboard, and Rim
The rim sits 10 feet (3.05m) above the floor at every standard level of basketball, from youth travel ball through the NBA — the height doesn't change, even though many youth and recreational programs use lowered hoops (commonly 8 or 9 feet) for younger age groups to make shooting mechanically possible. Backboards are typically 6 feet wide by 3.5 feet tall, with the rim itself an 18-inch-diameter ring mounted 6 inches in front of the backboard's face.
Half-Court and the Center Circle
The court is divided in half by the mid-court line, with a center circle (typically 12 feet in diameter under NBA rules, 3.6m under FIBA) used for jump balls and as a reference point for backcourt/frontcourt violations. Each half also has its own key, free-throw line, and three-point arc mirrored from the other end, so a full court is really two identical halves joined at mid-court.
Youth and Playground Court Sizes
Not every court needs to be full-size. Many youth leagues play cross-court (using the width of a full court as two separate mini-courts) or on scaled-down courts roughly 74 feet by 42 feet for younger age groups, which shortens the distance kids need to cover and keeps games from feeling like a full-length sprint. Backyard and driveway courts are often much smaller still — a half-court setup as small as 30 feet by 30 feet is enough for shooting and 1-on-1 or 3-on-3 play, though anything under that starts to compress shooting angles and dribbling space noticeably.
Building or Marking a Court Yourself
If you're painting or taping lines on an existing surface — a driveway, church gym, or multi-purpose court — start by confirming which rule set you're building for, since the three-point distance and key shape are the two measurements most likely to differ. Measure and mark the baseline and sidelines first to establish your rectangle, then work inward: center the free-throw line 15 feet from the backboard, square the key to the baseline, and use a long tape measure or trundle wheel anchored at the basket to arc the three-point line rather than eyeballing it, since even a foot of drift is noticeable to anyone who's played on a regulation court.
Frequently asked questions
A standard NBA/NCAA/high school court is 94 feet by 50 feet, while international FIBA courts (used in Australia, Canada's national play, and most club competitions) are slightly smaller at 28m by 15m, about 91.9 by 49.2 feet.
It depends on the level: 23.75 feet at the top of the arc in the NBA, about 22.15 feet (6.75m) under FIBA and current NCAA rules, and 19 feet 9 inches in U.S. high school (NFHS) basketball.
The rim is 10 feet (3.05m) above the floor at every standard level of organized basketball, though many youth programs use lowered hoops — commonly 8 or 9 feet — for younger age groups.
Youth leagues often use scaled-down courts around 74 feet by 42 feet or play cross-court on a full-size court, while a backyard half-court as small as 30 feet by 30 feet is enough for shooting and small-sided games like 1-on-1 or 3-on-3.
Put it into practice
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