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nba free throw line distance

Author

Sarah Martinez

Updated on July 13, 2026

The free-throw line, where one stands while taking a foul shot, is located within the three-point arc at 15 feet from the plane of the backboard. A foul shot is worth 1 point, but if a shot is made from the foul line while in play it is still worth 2 points.

Is the free throw line is 15 feet from the basket?

Free-Throw Distance

The NBA, the NCAA and the National Federation of State High School Associations dictate that the free-throw line is 15 feet horizontally from the plane of the front of the backboard. The free-throw line on international courts is 15.09 feet from the backboard.

Is the free throw line is 12 feet from the basket?

Just as in college and professional basketball, the foul line is 15 feet from the backboard, and the key is 19 feet long. It’s also the same 12 feet wide as the NCAA — four feet narrower than the NBA and WNBA.

How far is the free throw line from the front of the room?

The distance of the free-throw line is measured from a point on the floor directly below the backboard. At the junior high, high school, NCAA, WNBA and NBA levels, the free-throw line is 15 feet away from this point. At the FIBA level, the free-throw line is actually a bit further—15.09 feet from the point.

How far is a 3 point line?

Though the distances differ between all levels of basketball, the 3-point line is universal. The NBA has a 22-foot 3-point line in the corners and a 23-foot, 9-inch line elsewhere. The WNBA and the international game plays with a 20-foot, 6-inch line.

How far is free throw line from front of RIM?

College Basketball Court Diagram And Dimensions

The free-throw line is 19 feet from the edge of the field, and the backboard front is 15 feet. Taking a distance of 22.15′ from the center of the hoop, we get the 3 point shooting line.

How high is the rim from the floor?

Throughout gyms, parks, and driveways around the world, basketball hoops are almost always 10 feet (3 meters) off the ground.

How wide is free throw line?

The areas identified by the lane space markings are 2” by 6” inches. A free throw line shall be drawn (2” wide) across each of the circles indicated in the court diagram. It shall be parallel to the end line and shall be 15′ from the plane of the face of the backboard.

Is the NBA rim 12 feet?

The rims have always been 10-feet high since James Naismith posted 13 rules for a game he called “Basket Ball” in a Springfield, Mass., YMCA gym in 1891. The average height for men during that time, however, was 5-foot-6.

Is NBA court bigger than college?

Official NCAA basketball courts have the same size as NBA basketball courts at 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. Only noticeable difference between the NBA and NCAA is the 3-point line. The 3-point line of NBA courts is 23.75 feet from the goal while the 3-point line of the NCAA is 22.15 feet from the goal.

How far is the NBA half-court line?

The free-throw line is 15 inches from the basket while the three-point line is 23 feet, nine inches from the basket. The half-court line is 46 inches from either basket — directly halfway between both buckets. The distance of the half-court line from the basket means players rarely attempt shots from beyond it.

Can you dunk a 3 pointer?

As a result, does things no one else in the NBA can do. In the second quarter, he showed the national audience why the NBA world is so enamored of him. After a made basket by the Mavericks, Davis beat everyone down the court, took a pass at the three-point line, and dunked it in two steps without dribbling.

Why did the NBA shorten the 3 point line?

For three seasons beginning in 1994–95, the NBA attempted to address decreased scoring by shortening the distance of the line from 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) (22 ft (6.71 m) at the corners) to a uniform 22 ft (6.71 m) around the basket.