on courts with obstacles, like coal burning stoves in the corner or poles in the middle.in dance halls where players were allowed to bounce the ball off the walls and the ceiling.Throughout it's evolution, basketball games were played in some crazy places: That's quite different from the court dimensions used today. The first basketball game was played in a small basement gym with 18 players spread out on a court about 35 feet by 50 feet in size. Note the lack of court lines and markings. Ĭheck out this old photo of the home basketball court used by the Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team in 1902. The basketball court diagram above barely resembles the courts used during the early years of basketball history. The evolution of the modern basketball court layout Different rules apply whether the ball is above or below this line.įront court – The half of the court containing the basket at which the team is shooting.īack court – The half of the court containing the opponent's basket. It's an important landmark coaches use for establishing offensive and defensive rules. Lane – Also called the key or 3-second area (1), the rectangular area inside the lane lines from the free throw line to the baseline.Įlbow – Where the free throw line meets the lane line.įree throw line extended - An imaginary line that extends from each end of the free throw line to the sidelines. Basketball Court Layout Areas of the court A basket made by a player beyond this line is worth 3 points instead of 2. Hash marks (HM) – The markings on each side of the key used for lining players up for free throws.ģ-Point Line – Arc extending from the baseline to the top of the key (3). Low block (LB) – The largest hash mark at the bottom of the key closest to the basket which serves as a buffer to separate offensive and defensive players lined up on the lane during free throws. Lane lines – The two lines that extend from the ends of the free throw line to the baseline surrounding the lane. Jump circles – There are 3 circles on the court: a center circle (CC) at half-court and a free throw circle (FTC) around the free throw line at each end.įree throw line (FT) – The line 15 feet from the basket that cuts the free throw circle in half. Half-court line – Also called mid-court, the line that runs from sideline to sideline across the center of the court. Sideline - The boundary lines on each side of the court.īaseline - Also called the endline, the boundary lines at each end of the court. This diagram represents a standard high school basketball court. High school, college, and professional leagues have slightly different markings due to different rules, but most lines are the same.

See a typical basketball court layout with the lines and markings explained.

Official basketball court layout