Basketball has come a long way since James Naismith stuck a couple of peach baskets on the walls of a YMCA in 1891. The thirteen original rules of basketball have branched out into over a hundred, and the equipment for the game has evolved as well, lining out specific standards for the size of everything, including the hoop.
Ring Specification
The official rules of the National Basketball Association and the Womens National Basketball Association spell out all the requirements for the basketball hoops used in its competitions. The actual hoop must be 18 inches in diameter on the inside of the ring. In addition, it must be painted orange, made of metal, and must release easily from the backboard when pressure is put on it.
Net Specifications
You won't find nets made from chain in any pro basketball venues. The NBA and WNBA specify that the nets use in its games be no shorter than 15 inches and no longer than 18 inches. The only color allowed is white, and the cord it's made from has to be between 30 thread and 120 thread. The rules also state that the basket must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through."
Hoop Placement
The upper edge of the hoop should be exactly 10 feet from the ground, and perfectly centered between the side edges of the backboard. It has to stick out, with its inside edge 6 inches from the face of the backboard.
Backboard Dimensions
The backboard's dimensions are 6 feet wide by 3 1/2 feet high, and must be flat and made of a clear material. It has to feature a white rectangle that is 2 feet wide and 18 inches high, centered behind the ring.
NCAA Regulations
The main group that oversees college sports, the National Collegiate Athletics Association, has similar requirements, with a few changes. The net has to be at least 120 threads, with a maximum of 144 threads, but can also be made from plastic. The metal forming the ring must be 5/8 inch or smaller in diameter. The backboard can be 3 1/2 or 4 feet high, though the NCAA recommends that any new backboards that the school buys be the NBA standard 3 1/2 feet vertically.
References
- Kansas Heritage Group; Dr. James Naismith, Inventor of Basketball; George Laughead Jr.; 2004
- NBA: Official Rules 2010-2011
- WNBA: 2009 Official WNBA Rule Book
- NCAAPublications.com: NCAA Basketball: 2010 and 2011 Men's and Women's Rules
- Basketball Rules: Dr. James Naismith's 13 Original Rules of Basketball
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