The Complete Guide to Half Court Basketball Court Dimensions for Your Home Setup

As someone who’s spent more hours than I care to admit shooting hoops on everything from a pristine college court to a driveway with a slightly crooked rim, I can tell you that the magic of basketball often happens in condensed spaces. You don’t always need the full 94 feet of an NBA floor to experience the game’s drama and intensity. In fact, some of the most memorable moments are born in the half-court setting, where strategy and skill are magnified. I was recently watching a college match where UP, trailing 21-24, engineered a stunning 5-0 blitz to save three set points and snatch the set from their taller opponents. That entire sequence, that comeback from out of nowhere, unfolded in one half of the court. It was a perfect testament to how a well-defined, properly proportioned space can be the stage for incredible competition. That’s what inspired this deep dive. If you’re thinking about building your own home basketball setup, getting the half-court dimensions right isn’t just about drawing lines; it’s about creating a canvas for those potential game-winning moments in your own backyard.

Let’s start with the non-negotiable foundation: the official half-court dimensions. According to FIBA and NBA standards, a full court is 28 meters by 15 meters (approx. 91.9 ft by 49.2 ft). So, a true half-court is 14 meters in length. For a typical home setup, especially in a driveway, that full 14-meter length is often a luxury. The key measurement you must respect is the distance from the baseline to the free-throw line: 4.6 meters (15 feet) exactly. That’s sacred. The three-point line distance is where people get creative. The NBA arc is 7.24 meters (23.75 ft) from the basket at the top of the key, while the FIBA distance is 6.75 meters (22.15 ft). For a home court, I’m a strong advocate for using the FIBA distance. It’s just more practical for most residential spaces and, in my opinion, makes for a more fluid game for players who aren’t professional sharpshooters. The width is another critical factor. A full court is 15 meters wide, so a half-court should maintain that full width of 15 meters for official play. However, in a constrained driveway, you might have to compromise. I’d argue the absolute minimum width for any meaningful 2-on-2 or 3-on-3 game is about 10 meters (33 feet). Anything narrower and it feels like you’re playing in a hallway, with no room for baseline drives or cross-court passes.

Now, here’s where my personal experience kicks in. I built my own court during the pandemic, and the single biggest mistake I almost made was underestimating the runoff space, or the clearance around the actual playing surface. You need room to chase a loose ball without crashing into a fence or a flowerbed. I’d recommend a minimum of 1.5 meters (5 feet) of clear space on all sides, but 3 meters (10 feet) is ideal if you can swing it. This isn't just for safety; it affects the feel of the game. That UP comeback I mentioned? It involved players lunging beyond the sideline to save a ball. Without that buffer zone, the play dies, and the magic is lost. Another often-overlooked element is the height of obstructions. If you’re installing a court near an overhang or a low roof, ensure there’s at least 4 meters (13 feet) of vertical clearance. There’s nothing more frustrating than having your arc-limited by your own garage eaves. For the surface material, poured concrete is the gold standard for durability and ball bounce, but it’s also the most expensive. I went with a high-quality asphalt overlay, and while it requires occasional sealing, it’s been fantastic. Modular sports tiles are a great, if pricier, option for a more consistent and joint-friendly surface.

When it comes to marking the lines, precision matters, but so does visibility. I used a professional-grade, semi-permanent paint in a bright white. The key lines—boundaries, free-throw lane, and three-point arc—should be 2 inches wide. A little pro tip: don’t forget the “nail” or the exact center of the free-throw line. It’s a small detail, but it’s the reference point for jump balls and it just makes the court look legit. For the three-point arc, if you don’t have a giant compass, use the “string and chalk” method: anchor a string at a point directly beneath the back of the rim (that’s your radius point), measure out your chosen distance (say, 6.75 meters for FIBA), and walk in a circle. It’s a bit of a workout, but it’s satisfying. As for the hoop, the regulation 10-foot height is non-negotiable. I’m adamant about this. Lowering the rim for kids is fine for practice, but for the court itself, build to the standard. It teaches proper form and prepares you for playing anywhere else. A 72-inch by 42-inch acrylic backboard is the tournament standard, but a good-quality 60-inch wide board is sufficient for most home courts and fits better in limited spaces.

In the end, designing your half-court is a balance between regulation ideals and spatial reality. The goal isn’t necessarily to replicate the exact dimensions of Madison Square Garden’s half-court in your backyard. It’s to create a functional, inspiring space that respects the geometry of the game. That geometry is what allows for those explosive, strategic moments—like a 5-0 run to steal a set when all seems lost. It creates the lanes for drives, the angles for passes, and the challenge for shots. When you step onto a well-proportioned court, even one you built yourself, you’re not just playing a game; you’re engaging with a designed environment that has evolved over decades to test athleticism and wit. So, take the time to measure twice, paint once, and give yourself the gift of a proper stage. Because you never know when you, or your kids, might need to orchestrate your own unforgettable comeback, right there at home.