If you play basketball or are just a fan who can’t wait to make two shots, a basketball hoop is for you. Although there are many equipped structures nowadays, having your basketball hoop at home will allow you to dedicate yourself to your favorite sport without limits and stress.
On the market, there are many types of basketball hoops, which differ according to their design. Choosing the right one is fundamental to optimize the playing space, to have excellent playability, and to reproduce a field as faithful as possible to the original.
Here we had listed out some of the different basketball hoops that are present below.
How to Choose Basketball Hoops?
Many questions may arise before buying a basketball hoop, but there is an answer to all of them. If you play for competition or just for fun, there is a basket suitable for your needs and standards. In this section, we will try to clarify all your doubts about it.
What Exactly Is a Basketball Hoop?
The basket is, together with basketball, an essential part of playing basketball, since without it, you cannot play. Essentially it is a 45.7 cm wide ring hanging at a certain height from the ground where the ball must enter to score points.
The size of the basket has always been the same since Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of this game started practicing this sport. In a playing field, two baskets are placed on both sides, and to score (or to the basket in fact) is the goal of each player.
To give more difficulty to the game, the ring in which the ball must enter is located at a certain distance from the ground (3.05 meters), which, however, changes in the mini basket (2.60 meters).
How Many Types of Basketball Hoops Are There?
Turning on the internet, or for sports equipment stores, you will find basketball baskets for all tastes and all ages. They come in different shapes and sizes.
They range from the friendliest and finest room baskets, easy to hang thanks to their small size and light materials, to the most complex indoor and outdoor baskets. While those for bedrooms can be considered toys, outdoor baskets can be more or less professional and come in the following formats:
- only the ring of the basket with the retina;
- the ring with the retina and the backboard;
- a fixed wall basket with a complete structure
- a mobile basket with a complete building and with wheels to be moved.
- The mobile version can vary, as there are models that do not have wheels but can be closed on themselves to facilitate transport.
How Do I Choose the Basketball Hoop?
Based on the space available to you, the budget you want to spend, and the level of playability preferred, there are many baskets. In some baskets, it is possible to adjust the height, so that even the little ones can use it and adapt it during growth.
Usually, the height-adjustable baskets are also mobile, that is, they have wheels that facilitate transport and ease in putting it aside. Different is the case of fixed basketball hoops, which can be positioned only after having drilled holes on the wall.
It is an ideal solution if you have a large unused exterior wall. They come with or without a scoreboard, and more professional, resealable versions allow you to eliminate the size of the basket.
What Is Different About a Mini Basketball Basket?
In addition to the adjustable models, so that children can play basketball without problems, you can find specific mini basketball baskets. The height of these places the ring at 2.60 meters above the ground, which makes it easier for children who like this sport to be able to make a basket with the ball.
You can find three types of rings for the mini basket: fixed, transportable, and vandal-proof. These baskets are mainly used in schools or sports centers since it is in these places where it is more common to see basketball teams of children only.
Why Should You Buy a Semi-Professional Basketball Hoop?
An excellent basketball hoop must be able to withstand many efforts, swings, and balls. Having a solid structure but at the same time tensions damping means that your games can take place with a bit more competitive spirit and with acrobatic games, eliminating the possibility of damaging some components.
The combination of a solid base, an excellent arm, a resistant backboard, a ring with springs, make the basketball hoop a lasting tool that will accompany your training days and the endless games you organize with your friends.
The materials used allow the entire structure to be resistant to atmospheric agents and to keep itself almost like new over the years.
How Do You Assemble the Basketball Hoop?
Mobile and footboard basketball hoops can be stabilized by filling the base with water or sand. If it is not sufficiently stable, you should put bags filled with sand or concrete blocks on the platform.
In some basic versions, the vertical structure is easy to assemble, while in others, only a few components such as display board, net, and ring need to be met.
To mount the wall baskets, you need a drill with special bits, based on the material to be drilled and bolts. Another solution may be to hook the scoreboard through stable brackets.
In any case, the choice of bolts for fixing is essential so that they can keep the weight of the basket, and there is no damage to the wall structure, the basket, and the players.
Things to Check Before Purchasing
To have the best gaming experience in your garden, courtyard or open space, it is necessary to know some technical characteristics, without which, you could arrive at an unsatisfactory choice, compared to all the proposals on the market. The main factors are:
Height
The height of the basketball hoop is essential to make the game more addicting. Many baskets, however, in addition to the regulatory height of 3.05 meters above the ground, can reach a lower elevation, up to about 2 meters, transforming the structure from a basketball hoop to a mini basket suitable for children.
By reducing the height, you will be able to perform stunts that you are unlikely to be able to do with one of the regular height. You choose the height of the wall basketball hoops. It is of great importance that the basket is level and at a not too exaggerated height.
Finally, there are mobile versions with standard heights. For room baskets, height does not matter. They can be positioned almost anywhere to let you spend minutes of fun and entertainment.
Board
The backboard is very important to have an excellent rebound to the basket. Some models do not include the scoreboard; in fact, they come in a ring-shaped plus retina format.
Usually, glass, wood, plastic, and some of its derivatives are used as construction materials. The regulatory dimensions are 105x180x5, but the display boards on the market are not faithful to these measures and present various shapes.
A good scoreboard can cushion the force of a shot and redirect the ball in the right direction. If you are a fan of the world of ball segments, there are customized versions of the major teams of the American NBA championship that make the basketball hoop visually colorful and captivating.
The Ring
The basketball hoop ring is a factor that you must take into consideration as it is the crucial element to be able to score. Also, in this case, the materials are different depending on whether the basket is professional or not.
It goes from rigid plastic to steel and with a regulatory diameter is 45 cm. Like the backboard, the ring is also useful in rebounding, especially when shooting from long distances.
The ring is attached firmly to the board with screws. It can be more or less equipped with springs, used to cushion the blows and not to damage the basketball hoop even in cases where a player clings to the iron in the attempt, or after having concluded a dunk. The springs are usually calibrated on 100 kg to resist the most fought moments of the game.
Footboard
The platform is an element that is not always present in all basketball baskets because it is mainly installed only in those with its vertical structure and is used as a counterweight to prevent the building from overturning.
In general, the platform looks like a container with a particular volume that can be filled through the use of sand or water. The larger the word, the more stable the whole structure of the basketball hoop with bumps and balls will be stable. Having a stable system decreases the likelihood of unpleasant accidents occurring during the game.
