Do you know basketball is one of the most-watched sports in America? It’s not only a popular sport for professionals, setting up a portable hoop at your home or driveway and playing basketball for few minutes every day can give your cardiovascular system the best exercise. Moreover, it’s a great source of fun if you play with your neighbors and family members as a team.
Parts of a Basketball Hoop
A modern basketball hoop has four parts:
- Backboard
- Rim
- Net
- And the support structure
The support structure has brackets. Sometimes, if necessary, the support structure has a pole and a base. You know basketball players need enough room for shots and rebounds under the rim of the hoop. So, in most cases, the rim and backboard are placed a little bit away from the wall to which they are set.
Did you look closely at an NBA hoop? If you measure an NBA hoop, you will get the length from the rim to the base is 10 feet. And from the sideline, the rim distance will be 4 feet.
Hoops that are made for home use are built with a few different measurements.
Styles and Target Players of Basketball Hoops
Before purchasing a basketball hoop, determine at first what type of game and where you’re going to set up your basketball hoop. Here I’m narrating the styles of basketball hoops you will get in the market and their description.
- For Indoor: Perfect for the dedicated indoor basketball team. Wall-mounted hoops.
- For Backyard and Street: Perfect for setting up in your home driveway or in a street.
- For Kids: They are normally small. Obviously portable and made of plastic.
- Basketball for Pool: These hoops are normally designed to place on the side of a swimming pool. With some of these types, baskets just hang out over the water surface. In some types, you will not get the backboard.
- Electronic Basketball Hoops: You will find these types of hoops in a gaming zone. A net or sheet will return your balls and an electronic counter will tell you how many hits you’ve made successfully onto the basket.
- Toy Basketball Hoops: If you find your children are stuck indoors for rainy or bad weather, go and buy a small toy hoop, hang out it from your door or from somewhere your kids find it easy to play. Now have fun.
- Beach Basketball: Have you ever seen playing beach basketball? Normally beach basketball hoops don’t have a backboard.
So, after reading this paragraph, I hope you know what type of basketball hoops you need. Now we shall focus on the materials you need to check out before buying your basketball hoops.
Components of a Basketball Hoop
If you have read the first few lines of this article, you know what parts make a basketball hoop. The quality of the materials of those parts makes a good hoop or a bad hoop.
Let’s explain part by part…
- Backboards: A backboard made of glass give good bounce to the balls. So professional backboards are made of glass material. If you need to go for an inexpensive option, you have to choose a backboard made with molded plastic or steel. Not only materials, but you will also look at the shapes of the backboard. Professionals want a large, rectangular in size and glass-made backboard.
- Rims: You don’t have to look at the materials of this part. Most of the rims are made of steel with a diameter of 18 inches. What you have to check out is how the rim is connected to the backboard. Expensive basketball hoops have the spring-loaded breakaway system.
- Poles and Brackets: If the brackets are attached near the edges of the backboard, it provides the backboard maximum stability. So, choose brackets that attach near the edges of your backboard. If your hoops are freestanding, your poles will be adjustable.
- Bases of the Hoop: If your hoop is adjustable, the base of the hoop will be large in size. It can be brick made or in some base, they are filled with sand or water. This extra base easily holds the heavy hoop on it.
- Nets: In most cases, basketball nets are made of nylon. You will also get the chain-link net. Nylon-made nets are not long-lasting but chain-link nets are very good in wet weather and durable.
Playing basketball with your friends and neighbors is really fun and a good way to give a good shape to your cardiovascular system. As basketball hoops can be found in many shapes and sizes, so it is perfect for anyone to place a hoop in a suitable place. So have fun and play this game regularly.
