If you want to build your own court at home, one of the common questions asked would be, “how tall is a basketball hoop?” A basketball hoop’s standard size would be 10 feet (3 meters) off the ground. Basketball hoops vary in size, type, and brand.
You don’t want to get a hoop that is too tall for your place, especially if you don’t have a driveway or a spacious backyard. So, knowing how tall your basketball hoops are can avoid wasting money by purchasing something that’s too big for your home.
This article will guide you in knowing how tall basketball hoops are depending on the type and what brands have adjustable ones. You may scroll down further to see a more detailed review.
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Basketball Hoop Dimensions
A basketball hoop’s typical height stands 10 feet or 3 meters from the ground up. While this depends on who plays the basketball. High school up to professional basketball leagues featuring a 10-foot tall hoop.
When the founder of basketball James Naismith invented and pioneered the sport back in 1891, the first-ever hoop that was hung at the YMCA gym in Springfield, Massachusetts, was 10 feet high from the ground. Since then, the hoops were already understood to stand that high automatically.
Can You Set the Basketball Hoop Lower Than the Standard Height?
Even though the standard hoop height is at 10 feet, some considerations and adjustments can be made depending on who will play. Imagine a 6-year old basketball player having to shoot the ball on the same hoop that the basketball professional Michael Jordan shoots? Sounds unreal and unfair.
This is why it really makes sense to modify the height of the basketball hoop. The instances wherein a basketball hoop is lowered than the standard height is when it is used for training kids or if you want them to play the sports at a young age.
There are adjustable portable hoops that can be bought somewhere you can construct. Just adjust it to your desired height for a less hassle play.
Why is the Basketball Hoop 10 Feet?
The idea of the basketball hoop’s height comes from the Canadian gym instructor, James Naismith. He was tasked to think of an exciting game to be played indoors. So, he nailed a peach basket at the running track’s railing with a height of 10 feet. From then on, this has been the standard height of the basketball hoop.
There have been many suggestions to increase the rim size, but according to experts, increasing the size further may be unfair for shorter players, and that making shots will be a lot difficult.
Recommended Basketball Hoop By Age
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Age 5 to 7
At this age, the main goal is to expose the children to basketball and get used to it. The height of the basketball hoop should be at the lowest setting at 6 to 7 feet to be ideal for this age group.
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Age 8 to 9
The basketball hoop at 8 feet off the ground is perfect for this age range if the kids already play basketball during their younger years because they have gained the strength to score at this height.
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Age 10
At this age, they are now able to perform repeated shooting strokes; that’s why the height of the hoop can now be increased by one foot, which is at 9 feet.
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Age 11 and Older
This is the age where players get to know their positions in court. This is also the stage where they are more focused on shooting and scoring. Thus, it’s the perfect time to let them play at a standard basketball hoop of 10 feet.
Conclusion
If you are a basketball player, it is important to be aware of the sizes of the equipment that you will be using. Playing basketball is not just about mastering the rules of the game, but also ensuring that every equipment used from the ball, hoops, rim, and size of the court is in standard.
