A 10 foot basketball hoop makes the game exciting because it presents a greater challenge to the players. It requires a higher level of skill and athleticism to successfully make shots from a distance, adding an element of excitement and suspense to the game. However, you may be wondering why exactly a basketball hoop is 10 feet. So here’s the answer:
When basketball was first created, James Naismith (who invented basketball), nailed a basket (which is why it’s called basketball) to the lower rail of an elevated gymnasium. The height was 10 feet. Ever since then, the height hasn’t changed, and although they discussed moving the hoops to 12 feet at one point, it will probably be 10 feet forever.
So although you may think there’s a reasoning for the hoop being 10 feet, it’s really just a coincidence. And personally, I think that coincidence has worked out perfectly knowing how beautiful the game of basketball has stayed throughout the years.
Is The Rim Ever Lower or Higher Than 10 Feet?
The rim could be lower or higher than ten feet in multiple circumstances. Here’s a list of circumstances:
Driveway Basketball
Playing basketball on a low hoop with friends growing up can be thrilling because it allows players to mimic the moves and tricks of their favorite NBA players. I know I had many low hoop games in my own driveway, and they were some of the most exciting games I’ve played in my life.
Youth Basketball
Depending on the age, location, and other factors, youth basketball games may have a lower hoop. For example, if the children are very young and aren’t as skilled or coordinated yet, they may play on a shorter hoop so that they can make more shots. The heigh of the hoop depends on the age but they could play on 6 feet, 8 feet, 9 feet, and lastly the 10 foot hoop.
Dunk Contests
Dwight Howard dunked on 12 feet during the dunk content, and I know many people have attempted to dunk on a 12 foot rim. So although the official height of a basketball hoop is 10 feet, there are situations in which it could be higher as well (dunk contest being the leading reason). It doesn’t necessarily have to be dunk contest, it could just be someone testing out their athleticism.
Pick Up Basketball
Another reason a hoop wouldn’t be exactly 10 feet is if the township or city of a park or gym didn’t install the hoop 100% properly. This could result in the hoop being either slightly lower, or slightly higher than 10 feet.
I know one court specifically that I played at growing up and hoop was actually 9’8″, instead of the typical 10 feet.
Would Shooting The Ball On A Higher Hoop Help?
Muscle memory is the ability of the body to automatically perform a movement or skill without conscious thought. In the context of shooting a basketball, muscle memory plays a crucial role in the development of shooting technique and accuracy. So shooting a basketball on a 10 foot hoop consistently is important if you want to become a great shooter.
Shooting on 11 feet sounds like it could help your range, but in reality it would just mess up your jump shot. The same thing would happen if you consistently shot on a lower hoop. The trajectory of the ball, arc, and accuracy would all be affected by the height of the hoop.
What Are The Benefits Of The Hoop Being So High In Basketball?
There are some benefits of the hoop being so high in basketball. If the hoop was low, the barrier to entry as an athlete, especially at the professional level would be low. Imagine how weird the game would be if it was played on 8 foot hoops. Players that are 7 feet would be only 1 foot away from the rim. It wouldn’t look right at all.
The higher hoop, and the fact that players need to jump high in order to dunk, makes the game that much better.
The acrobatic plays we see in todays game wouldn’t be nearly the same if the hoop was always lower.
The game as whole, wouldn’t be the game we enjoy today if it wasn’t for the 10 foot hoop.
How Much Would Change If The Basketball Hoop Was Changed To 12 Feet?
A common discussion Is changing the NBA hoops to 12 feet. Would this be plausible, or ridiculous. I think ridiculous, and here’s why.
There would be far less dunks
The crowd pays to see a show, and dunking is part of that show. If the hoop was 12 feet there would only be a handful of players that would be able to dunk on a regular basis. Sure, there would be cooler layups (maybe?), but the dunk is one of the crown jewel of our game.
Lower Scoring Games
Defense in basketball is good enough already. The added height to the hoops would make the game less efficient. Players would likely shoot a much lower shooting percentage. As far as I’m concerned, the game is perfect the way it is in this sense. The crowd likes to see high scoring games with lots of dunks and three pointers.
These two reasons alone are good enough reasons to not change the hoop height in the NBA. It would definitely be interesting to see how the most athletic players would perform, but it would only be exciting for a short period of time.
How Has The Basketball Hoop Evolved Over Time?
We know that the basketball hoop height has been the same since the beginning, but has everything else been the same over time as well? The answer is no. As stated above, the first basketball hoop started as a peach basket hanging from a rail in a gymnasium. On top of that, there was no backboard either.
When the backboard was introduced (between 1893-1896), it wasn’t even added to help the players out like it does today (bank shots & layups), it was actually added to keep the ball from going in the stands and hitting the fans on every shot. It was even made out of chicken wire at one point.
Eventually, the backboard has evolved in what it is today, shatter proof-tempered glass.
In Summary
The fact that the game was started with a 10 foot rim based on the coincidence that the railing was that high is amazing. It’s just something that was meant to be.
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