In Singapore, basketball court sizes may vary from court to court and we may not always play on the same court dimensions. As such, it is important that we recognise the potential differences on the court so that we can adjust our game accordingly. OwnYourCourt took some time to look through the specifications of a basketball court and conclude that these are the variables that can impact your game the most.

Basketball court measurements:

• Court Length (28m) & Width (15m)
• Rim Height (3.05m)
• Lines on court
  • 3-point line (6.75m basket to line)
  • Free throw lane (4.9m baseline by 5.8m sideline)
  • Free throw line (4.6m backboard to line)

Court Length & Width

The length and width of the basketball court affect the spacing of the players in the game. Adjusting your plays and movements according to the size of the court may help you win more games.

On a smaller court, you can consider running Pick n’ Rolls higher, outside of the 3-point line. This allows more space for you to make that bounce pass to the roll.

On a bigger court, lateral movements and outside shooters are your key factors to use to get that advantage over your opponents. On drive-and-kick plays, your outside shooters are lethal as defenders are required to cover more ground after helping on the drive.

Rim Height

Rim height affects shots, layups and maybe even alley-oop passes. Understanding if it is lower or higher than what you are accustomed to, gives you an idea on what adjustments to make to get your shot on target.

As a general statement, players who play on standard rims will find it easier to adapt to lower rims. On the other end, players who play on lower rims will find it hard to adapt to higher rims.

Lines on court

Players call plays and make moves referencing to lines and markings on the court. They use these lines to gauge their current position to the basket and their teammates. With this knowledge, they may shoot or pass the ball without even looking at the basket or looking at their teammates.

With that in mind, lines and markings on court affects your angles on court. Adjusting your positions and judgements based on the court lines, will improve the accuracy of your passes and shots.

All markings on the court are important. However, these 3 lines are used the most as reference points:

• Three-point line
  • 6.75m from the middle of the basket to the line
• Free throw lane/Key
  • 4.9m by 5.8m box
  • The trapezoidal lanes were removed in 2010, to standardise with the NBA
• Free throw line
  • 4.6m from the middle of the backboard to the line

Bonus tip: The corner 3-point line is closer to the rim than it is from any other point on line