What Are the Official Half Court Basketball Court Dimensions for Your Home Setup?

So, you’re thinking about putting in a half-court basketball setup at home? That’s fantastic. I remember the first time I measured out a space in my own backyard; I was shocked at how much I didn’t know. The official dimensions aren’t just a suggestion—they’re the difference between a cramped, awkward shootaround and a space that actually feels like you’re playing real basketball. Let’s cut through the confusion. For a standard FIBA, NBA, or NCAA half-court, you’re looking at a rectangle that is 50 feet wide by 47 feet long. That length is measured from the baseline to the half-court line, which is, of course, the absolute center of a full 94-foot court. Now, that’s the pristine, professional standard. But here’s the personal take: very few of our driveways or backyards can accommodate that perfectly. And you know what? That’s okay. The core idea is to preserve the key proportions. The three-point line, for instance, arcs at 23 feet 9 inches from the hoop in the NBA, and about 22 feet 1.75 inches in FIBA rules. Getting that curvature even roughly right changes everything about your shooting practice.

I learned the importance of proper spacing the hard way. I once helped a friend set up a court that was far too narrow. We’d drive to the basket and just run out of room, or worse, collide with a fence. It stifled creativity. Basketball, even in a half-court setting, is a game of geometry and explosive movement. You need that width for crossovers, for baseline cuts, for setting a proper screen. That 50-foot width ensures the wing areas are viable. If you compress it, you’re essentially practicing a different, more limited game. Think about those incredible comebacks in real games; they often happen because a team uses every inch of the floor. I was watching a highlight recently from a UAAP game in the Philippines. UP was down 21-24, facing set points, and they unleashed a stunning 5-0 blitz to steal the set. That kind of run isn’t just about heart; it’s about players being able to operate in space, to make sharp cuts and quick passes within the defined court dimensions. A cramped home setup trains you for a cramped game. You want to train for the real thing, for those moments where space is your ally.

Now, let’s talk about the key. That painted area under the hoop is non-negotiable. It’s 16 feet wide and 19 feet deep from the baseline to the top of the free-throw circle in the NBA. The free-throw line is 15 feet from the backboard. This is your scoring and defensive hub. Getting this area even roughly to scale is more critical, in my opinion, than obsessing over the exact three-point distance. Why? Because 80% of the game happens here. Your layups, post moves, and rebounding positioning are all defined by this space. I made sure to paint this area with precision in my own setup, using a bright color. It immediately made games of 21 or one-on-one feel more authentic. You start to develop a real sense of where you are on the floor without looking down. That spatial awareness is everything. It’s what allows a player to fade away for a jumper knowing exactly how much room they have, or to make a drop pass to a cutter flashing through the lane.

Of course, we have to be practical. My own half-court isn’t a perfect 50x47. I had to shrink it to about 42 feet wide by 40 feet long to fit between my garage and a garden bed. The compromise? I kept the key dimensions as accurate as possible and scaled the three-point line in proportion. The arc is there, just a bit tighter. The most important adjustment was maintaining a clear “sideline” of at least 3-5 feet for safety. There’s no point in having official half-court basketball court dimensions if you’re going to sprint into a rose bush chasing a loose ball. Safety is the unofficial first rule of home setup. Use that as your guiding principle. Measure your available area first, then work backwards from the professional specs, prioritizing the key and the hoop placement.

Ultimately, chasing the official specs is about respecting the game. It’s about creating a training ground that translates directly to the public court or the gym. When you step onto a properly proportioned space, even a reduced one, your muscle memory is being trained correctly. Your shooting depth perception becomes reliable. Your sense of distance on a pass improves. It transforms a patch of concrete into a legitimate practice facility. So, grab a tape measure, some chalk, and start plotting it out. Don’t get discouraged if you can’t hit every single measurement. Aim for the spirit of the dimensions—the width for playmaking, the key for interior play, and a defined perimeter for shooting. Get those elements right, and you’ve built yourself more than just a court; you’ve built a foundation for a better game. After all, you never know when you’ll need to summon your own 5-0 blitz to save the day in a neighborhood showdown. Having the right space makes those impossible comebacks feel just a little more within reach.