Court Dimensions and Markings

What it is

• The basketball court is a rectangle with standardized dimensions that vary by competitive level.

Why it matters

• These variations matter because they compress or extend the court's tactical space, affecting pace of play and three-point shot difficulty.

How it works

• The NBA court measures 94 feet in length and 50 feet in width.
• High school courts measure 84 feet by 50 feet.
• The court is divided into two halves by the half-court line, with each team defending one basket and attacking the other.
• The key (also called the paint or lane) is the rectangular zone beneath each basket.
• The restricted area is a separate marking—the small no-charge arc directly under the rim—not a synonym for the paint.

Bilingual terms

Related concepts