How high is an NBA rim required to be?

An NBA rim is required to be 10 feet above the floor.

That measurement is taken to the upper edge of the rim, not to the bottom of the net. The orange metal ring has an inside diameter of 18 inches and is attached to a backboard with a pressure-release mechanism designed to reduce injury and equipment damage during dunks.

The 10-foot height dates back to basketball's origins. In 1891, James Naismith invented the game in Springfield, Massachusetts, and hung the first peach baskets from the elevated running track in a gymnasium. The track happened to be about 10 feet high, and that accidental dimension became the sport's enduring standard.

Players sometimes encounter lower baskets in youth leagues, training gyms, or informal games, which can create confusion. Regulation NBA courts retain the 10-foot standard regardless of player height or playing era. International FIBA courts use the same nominal height, measured as 3.05 meters to the rim's center, with a small permitted tolerance.