Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
men's basketballs. The regulation ball for women is slightly smaller and lighter. The exact spec-
ifications for women's balls can be found at the WNBA, FIBA, and NCAA websites.
Figure 7-17.
An NBA regulation basketball
Table 7-4.
The Radius, Diameter, and Mass of Regulation Men's Basketballs
FIBA
NBA
NCAA
Circumference (
m
)
0.78
0.749-0.762
0.76
Radius (
m
)
0.124
0.119-0.121
0.121
Mass (
kg
)
0.567-0.650
0.567-0.624
0.624
The Court
Basketball is played on a rectangular area known as the court. In a full-court game, the court
would be divided into halves with a basket at either end. A half-court game, as the name
implies, is played on only half of the court. The lines at either end of the court are known as the
end lines. Surrounding the basket is a smaller rectangle known as the lane. The back end of the
lane is known as the free-throw line where players can take a free shot in certain situations if
they are fouled. A general schematic of the area of the court around the basket is shown in
Figure 7-18.
Figure 7-18.
A schematic of the location of the basket, lane, and free-throw line
The size and location of the various elements of a basketball court depend on whether the
FIBA, NBA, or NCAA standards are used. Some of the more important court dimensions are
listed in Table 7-5. The free-throw line is along the back edge of the lane, so it would be 5.79-5.8
meters from the end line. Another feature of a basketball court is a 3-point line that is drawn
a certain distance around the location of the hoop. If a player makes a basket from beyond the
3-point line, it is worth 3 points instead of 2.
