The basketball goal’s post must be securely attached to the floor of the court, and the backboard must be securely attached to the post. The basket ring must be securely attached to the backboard so that it remains at a fixed height during competition. The official rules of the National Basketball Association and the International Basketball Association provide specific rules regarding the basket height.
Leagues
All competitive basketball leagues play with hoops fixed at the same height, including the NBA, WNBA, NCAA and FIBA. Competitive middle school and high school basketball also requires the same basket height. The basket ring for all of these leagues must be securely attached to the center of the backboard at 10 feet above the floor.
Backboard and Ring Structure
The basketball goal’s backboard must measure 6 feet wide and 3 ½ feet tall, and must have a rectangle drawn in the center that measures 24 inches wide and 18 inches high. The ring, attached to the center of this rectangle, must be horizontal and parallel to the floor. The point of the ring nearest the backboard should be 6 inches from the face of the backboard. The ring should measure 18 inches in diameter. The basket’s cord net must measure 15 to 18 inches in length. The net should momentarily slow the ball as it passes through the hoop.
Children
Although no official basketball competition uses a hoop height lower than 10 feet, small children can learn to play basketball with a lower fixed ring or a lowered adjustable hoop.
Possible Rim Height Raises
The NBA has consistently rejected proposals to raise the height of the basket rim, even for secondary competitions such as the All-Star dunking contest. For several years in a row in recent years, Orlando Magic basketball player Dwight Howard proposed that the NBA raise the hoop height to 12 feet for the dunking contest. The NBA rejected his requests, ruling that All-Star contests should follow standard NBA rules.
History
Dr. James Naismith invented basketball in Springfield, Massachusetts, in the 1890s, after setting out to create a game that relied on skill and that allowed players to exercise indoors during winter. This first version of basketball required soccer balls and peach baskets as hoops. Dr. Naismith’s original rulebook contained only 13 rules, none of which mentions a specific height for the peach basket “hoop.” Official NBA rules always have required that the basket rim be set at 10 feet above the floor.
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