Basketball Half Court Dimensions: Full Size Guide by Level of Play

A standard NBA basketball half court measures 47 feet long by 50 feet wide. High school half courts run 42 feet long by 50 feet wide.

NCAA half courts match the NBA at 47 by 50 feet. Basketball half court dimensions vary by level of play and so do the three-point line, key width, and other markings.

Basketball Half Court Dimensions by Level of Play

This is where most people get confused. The overall footprint of a half court doesn't change dramatically across levels but the internal measurements do, and those differences matter if you're building or marking a court.

NBA Half Court Dimensions

The NBA plays on a full court of 94 feet by 50 feet. Cut that in half and you get a half court of 47 feet long by 50 feet wide.

The three-point arc sits at 22 feet in the corners and extends to 23 feet 9 inches at the top of the arc. The key (paint area) is 16 feet wide and 19 feet long.

The free throw line is 15 feet from the face of the backboard. There's also a restricted area a 4-foot arc directly under the basket used to determine charging and blocking calls.

NCAA Half Court Dimensions

NCAA courts use the same full-court size as the NBA: 94 feet by 50 feet. So the half court is also 47 feet by 50 feet.

What changes is the three-point line. Men's NCAA sets it at 22 feet 1¾ inches from the center of the basket. Women's NCAA uses 20 feet 9 inches. The key is 16 feet wide at the NCAA level — same as the NBA.

High School Half Court Dimensions

High school courts are shorter. A standard high school full court is 84 feet by 50 feet, making the half court 42 feet long by 50 feet wide.

The three-point line is closer 19 feet 9 inches from the center of the basket. The key is narrower too, at 12 feet wide.

In practice, this creates a noticeably more compact playing area, which affects spacing and shot selection at that level.

FIBA Half Court Dimensions

FIBA (international) courts measure 91.86 feet by 49.21 feet (28 meters by 15 meters). The half court comes to roughly 45.93 feet by 49.21 feet.

The three-point line is 22 feet 1¾ inches from the basket matching NCAA men's. One notable difference: FIBA uses a trapezoid-shaped key rather than the rectangular lane used in NBA and NCAA play.

Half Court Dimensions Comparison Table

Key Markings Inside a Basketball Half Court

The overall size is just the starting point. What makes a half court functional is the line work inside it.

The Paint Area (The Key)

The key also called the lane or paint is the rectangular zone directly in front of the basket. At the NBA and NCAA level, it's 16 feet wide.

At the high school level, it narrows to 12 feet. The length of the key runs from the baseline to the free throw line, which is a consistent 19 feet at most levels.

What's often overlooked is that the key width has a real effect on how the game is played. A narrower key compresses the post area and changes where defenders position themselves.

The Free Throw Line

The free throw line is universal across all levels: 15 feet from the face of the backboard, as noted in the overview of court specifications on Wikipedia's basketball court page.

You'll sometimes see it described as 19 feet from the baseline both measurements refer to the same line, just measured from different reference points.

The free throw circle has a 6-foot radius and is centered on the free throw line. Players line up along the lane during free throw attempts based on the hash marks flanking the key.

The Three-Point Arc

The three-point line is the most level-dependent marking on a half court. It's measured from the center of the basket, not the backboard.

At the NBA level, it runs from 22 feet in the corners to 23 feet 9 inches at the top meaning it's not a perfect circle. The corners are actually closer to the basket than the top of the arc.

At lower levels, the arc is shorter and more uniform, which is why corner threes feel less extreme in high school play.

The Restricted Area

The restricted area is a small 4-foot arc directly beneath the basket. It exists to prevent defenders from drawing charging fouls by standing under the rim.

It's standard in NBA and NCAA play. Most recreational and backyard courts skip this marking entirely understandably so.

The Center Circle Arc

On a half court, only half the center circle appears the arc that sits at the midcourt line. The full center circle has a 6-foot radius.

In half-court recreational play, this arc typically serves as the top-of-court boundary or the check-ball line depending on local rules.

Backyard and Recreational Half Court Dimensions

Most backyards can't fit a regulation 47-by-50-foot half court. That's the honest reality. But a functional half court doesn't have to be regulation-sized to be worthwhile.

According to data from Statista, nearly 30 million Americans played basketball at least once in 2023 a 33% increase since 2016 reflecting the sport's growing presence both in organized play and in backyard and driveway setups.

Minimum Half Court Size for Practical Play

The bare minimum most players find usable is around 20 feet by 25 feet enough for a hoop, a free throw line, and some shooting range. But at this size, there's no three-point line and movement is tightly restricted.

A more practical minimum for 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 play is 30 feet by 30 feet. This gives enough room to drive, shoot mid-range, and run basic half-court sets without feeling cramped.

Common Recreational Half Court Sizes

Courts commonly built for residential use include:

• 30 ft × 30 ft — Compact, driveway-friendly, fits one hoop and free throw line
• 30 ft × 50 ft — Regulation width, shortened length; fits a three-point arc partially
• 47 ft × 50 ft — Full regulation half court; requires significant space but plays like the real thing

In practice, the 30×50 configuration is the most popular backyard build. It preserves the full regulation width which matters for spacing while cutting the length to something most properties can accommodate.

What Lines to Actually Include

For a backyard half court, the most useful markings are:

• Free throw line — 15 feet from the backboard face
• Three-point arc — scaled to the level you're playing at
• Key/paint area — helps with post positioning and lane violations
• Top-of-key arc — useful as a boundary in half-court games

The restricted area and hash marks are optional and rarely painted on recreational courts. They add authenticity but don't meaningfully change casual play.

Rim and Backboard Standards

These don't change with court size and they shouldn't. Whether you're on a backyard court or an NBA floor, the rim sits at 10 feet from the playing surface. Always.

The backboard is 72 inches wide by 42 inches tall at regulation level. The inner rectangle — the target box used for banking shots is 24 inches wide by 18 inches tall. The basket ring inside diameter is 18 inches.

These measurements are consistent across NBA, NCAA, FIBA, and high school. A hoop that isn't at exactly 10 feet will subtly warp your shooting mechanics over time something players who train on adjustable hoops set at the wrong height often discover the hard way.

Conclusion

An NBA and NCAA half court is 47 by 50 feet. High school runs 42 by 50 feet. For backyard use, 30 by 50 feet is the most practical build.

The three-point line and key width are the dimensions that vary most across levels everything else stays close to consistent.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the dimensions of an NBA half court?

An NBA half court is 47 feet long by 50 feet wide. It includes a 16-foot key, a free throw line 15 feet from the backboard, and a three-point arc ranging from 22 feet at the corners to 23 feet 9 inches at the top.

Are high school half court dimensions the same as NBA?

No. A high school half court is 42 feet long by 50 feet wide five feet shorter than an NBA half court. The key is also narrower at 12 feet, and the three-point line sits closer at 19 feet 9 inches.

What is the minimum size for a backyard half court?

A functional backyard half court starts at around 30 feet by 30 feet for casual play. For a more complete experience with a partial three-point line, 30 feet by 50 feet is the most commonly recommended size.

Is the free throw line distance the same on all half courts?

Yes. The free throw line is 15 feet from the face of the backboard across all levels NBA, NCAA, high school, and FIBA. The width of the free throw line itself is 2 inches.

Does a half court need a center circle?

Only the arc half of the center circle appears on a half court, sitting at the midcourt boundary. It has a 6-foot radius. On recreational courts, it's often used as the check-ball or reset line in informal half-court games.