How Long Is a Basketball Court? Official Dimensions & Layout Guide

Behind every fast break, buzzer-beater, and alley-oop lies a court built to exact specifications. Though the basic shape is a rectangle with rims at both ends, basketball courts differ slightly depending on the league or governing body. Understanding these dimensions — the length, width, arc of the three-point line, and the paint — gives insight into how the game is structured around space. This guide lays out the official measurements for the major court standards today.

How Court Dimensions Are Defined — Key Concepts

● Overall court size: the full playing rectangle defined by sidelines and baselines.
● Free throw (foul) line & key / paint area: central areas under the basket used for free throws, post play, and defensive restrictions.
● Three-point arc / line: defines the distance beyond which shots count for three points.
● Backboard & rim height: consistent across most official play levels.
● Line markings & court layout: including center circle, mid-court line, restricted area, sidelines, endlines.

These elements are constant across levels — what changes is the exact measurements.

Official Court Sizes & Layouts by Governing Bodies

Here are the standard full-court dimensions for different levels of competitive basketball:

Governing Body / Level | Court Length | Court Width

NBA (Pro) / Typical U.S. College (NCAA) | 94 ft (≈ 28.65 m) | 50 ft (≈ 15.24 m)
FIBA (International) | 28 m (≈ 91.86 ft) | 15 m (≈ 49.21 ft)
Typical U.S. High School (where used) | 84 ft (≈ 25.6 m) | 50 ft (≈ 15.24 m)

Key Internal Measurements & Markings (Rims, Free-Throw, 3-Point, “Key”)

No matter the league, some elements remain consistent across courts — others vary.

● Rim Height: 10 ft (3.05 m) above the playing surface in all official levels.
● Free-Throw (Foul) Line: 15 ft (≈ 4.57 m) from the front of the backboard.
● Backboard Dimensions & Position: Backboard typically 6 ft wide by ~42 in tall; it extends roughly 4 ft beyond the baseline into the key.

Three-Point Line / Arc

● NBA: 23 ft 9 in (≈ 7.24 m) at top of arc, 22 ft (≈ 6.7 m) in corners.
● FIBA: 6.75 m (≈ 22.15 ft) from basket center.
● NCAA (College, U.S.): courts use same overall size as NBA, though three-point line distance may differ based on current rules.
● High School: typically a shorter three-point distance (varies by region/level).

“Key” / Paint / Lane Width

● NBA: The paint (“key”) is wider — around 16 ft (≈ 4.88 m).
● FIBA: The key width is slightly similar: around 4.9 m / ~16.08 ft.
● College / Older systems: Some courts may use a narrower “key” (e.g. 12 ft) depending on local regulations or older layouts.

Why Dimensions Matter — Practical Effects

● Spacing & Play Style: A wider or narrower key affects post play and paint penetration, while the three-point line distance influences spacing and long-range shooting strategies.
● Standardization: Uniform court sizes across a league ensure fairness — players know exactly how much space they have.
● Facility Planning: For gyms, arenas or outdoor courts, knowing exact dimensions is critical for layout, spectator seating, safety margins and compliance with governing-body rules.
● Global Variation: International (FIBA) courts are slightly smaller than NBA courts — this subtle difference can influence how plays develop, especially in transition or spacing-based offenses.

What the Source (Recreation Unlimited) Adds — Court Diagrams & Variation Awareness

According to the article from Recreation Unlimited:
● While “inner court markings” (foul line, backboard/rim height) remain consistent across levels, overall external dimensions vary depending on league/level (professional, college, international, high-school, junior-high).
● Their diagrams show visual layouts for NBA, FIBA, NCAA and high-school courts — offering a helpful comparison to see how interior lines shift relative to size.

This underlines that when you hear “a basketball court,” the exact layout depends on where and under which rules the game is played.

A basketball court isn’t “one size fits all.” While many aspects are standard — like rim height and foul-line distance — the total floor dimensions, three-point lines, and paint width change depending on whether the court is used for NBA, international, college, or high-school play. Whether you’re building a court, watching an international match, or playing in a local league — knowing these measurements can deepen your understanding of how the game is shaped by space and rules. If you like, I can embed a full infographic diagram summarizing NBA vs FIBA vs NCAA court layouts side by side— useful for players, coaches, or fans.