How high is a basketball hoop?
A regulation basketball hoop is 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the floor. This height is the same in the NBA, WNBA, college basketball and international FIBA games.
The 10-foot height dates back to the invention of basketball by James Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. He nailed peach baskets to the balcony railing of a gym, which happened to be 10 feet high. The height was never changed, even as players became much taller.
The rim itself is 18 inches (45.7 centimeters) wide, almost twice the width of the ball. The backboard is 6 feet wide and 3.5 feet tall in professional games. The rim sits 15 feet from the free-throw line, and the NBA three-point line is 23 feet 9 inches from the basket at the top of the arc.
Lower hoops for kids
Many youth leagues use lower hoops, often 8 or 9 feet, so young players can learn proper shooting form. Over the years, some people have suggested raising the hoop because of very tall players and frequent dunks, but the 10-foot standard remains at all major levels.
Did You Know?
The first basketball games used peach baskets with bottoms, so someone had to climb a ladder to get the ball out after each score.