When the subject of basketball comes up, most people just think of a ball and a hoop. But there is a lot more to it than that. The following is a list of equipment and related information for playing the sport of Basketball:
- The only essential equipment in basketball is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.
- Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, scoresheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems.
- The men’s ball’s circumference is about 30 inches (76 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 5 oz (600 g).
- The women’s ball’s circumference is about 29 inches (73 cm) and weighs about 1 lb 3 oz (540 g).
- A regulation basketball court in international games is 28 by 15 meters (approx. 92 by 49 ft) and in the NBA is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 m).
- Most courts are made of wood.
- A cast-iron basket with net and backboard hang over each end of the court.
- At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 m) above the court and 4 feet (1.2 m) inside the endline.
- While variation is possible in the dimensions of the court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be the correct height; a rim that is off by but a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting.
- Basketball shoes, shorts and shorts.
