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What is the radius of the three-point line in basketball?

Author

Emily Ross

Published Jan 21, 2026

The distance from the basket to the three-point line varies by competition level: in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the arc is 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) from the center of the basket; in FIBA, the WNBA, the NCAA (all divisions), and the NAIA, the arc is 6.75 m (22 ft 1.75 in).

What is the 3 point line in basketball?

The three-point line in basketball is an arc-shaped line near each basket that determines how many points a successful shot is worth in basketball. If a shot is made from on or inside this line, it is worth two points. If the shot is made from beyond the line it is worth three points.

How long is the average 3 point line?

NBA Basketball Courts – the 3 point arc is 22 feet to the center of the rim on the sides with a straight line extending out 16 feet 9 inches from the baseline. Past those points the line extends out 23 feet 9 inches from the center of the rim.

How far is the 3 point line corner?

NBA Three-Point Line

The arc that intersects the straight lines is 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket. The shortest possible three-point shot, from the corner, is 22 feet from the hoop. The three-pointer gets progressively longer as you move toward the top of the arc.

How far is 3 point line in college?

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved changes to the 3-point line that sees the distance moving to 22 feet, 1 ¾ inches, matching that of the international distance.

20 related questions found

Where is the 3 point line measured from?

Answer has 5 votes. The line is measured from the CENTER of the basket using a plumb bob. In the U.S., college and high school rules for both men and women specify a distance of 19 feet, 9 inches (6.02 m) from the basket.

How far is a three-point line in high school basketball?

3 Point Line or Arc:

19.75 ft (6.01 m): High School.

Who invented the 3 point line?

Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics is credited with making the NBA's first 3-pointer, in a 114-106 win over the Houston Rockets. The 3-point line made its way to all FIBA competitions at a distance of 20-feet and six inches in 1984 before making its Olympic debut in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea.

How far is the top of the 3-point line?

At the top of the arc, the three-point line is 6.75 meters from the center of the basket or 22.15 feet. This measurement works out to about 22 feet, two inches. The FIBA three-point line, which has also been adopted by the WNBA, is over a foot and a half closer than the NBA line.

When was the 3-point line moved back?

The NBA shortened its 3-point line to a uniform 22 feet before the 1994-95 season but moved it back after the 1996-97 season. The smallest gap was last season, at . 011 points per shot.

Who hit the first 3-pointer in NBA history?

Late in the first quarter, Chris Ford hits the first 3-pointer in NBA history. Six players hit 3s that night. Because Ford's 3 came in the first quarter of the early slate of games, it's believed his shot was the first in history.

Who scored the first 3-pointer in NBA history?

Chris Ford of the Boston Celtics is credited with making the first three-point shot in NBA history on October 12, 1979. The season opener at Boston Garden was more remarkable for the debut of Larry Bird (and two new head coaches).

How did the 3-point line change basketball?

The 3-point line was introduced in the NBA back in 1979 by the American Basketball Association (ABA). Its original purpose was to make games more exciting and lead to higher scores. Today, 3 pointers are worth 3 more points than a normal shot from inside the arc, which is why we see so many teams taking – and making!

What happens if a player shoots the ball before the buzzer?

A goal counts if the shot was released before the official's whistle signaling the end of play for any period of the game, even if it goes in after having previously contacted part of the goal or a defensive player (post-whistle shots that contact an offensive player in any way before entering the goal, however, do not ...

How long can a player stay in the key?

The three seconds rule (also referred to as the three-second rule or three in the key, often termed as lane violation) requires that in basketball, a player shall not remain in their team's foul lane for more than three consecutive seconds while that player's team is in control of a live ball in the frontcourt and the ...

How high is a basketball hoop?

Throughout gyms, parks, and driveways around the world, basketball hoops are almost always 10 feet (3 meters) off the ground. Some leagues for young children play on shorter hoops, but from junior high schools through the professional leagues, the game is played on hoops of the standard 10-foot height.

Did Shaq ever make a 3?

Shaq attempted a total of 22 three-pointers in his 19 years-long professional basketball career, but only scored one. In the 1995-96 season, Shaq scored his first and only three-pointer against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was a turnaround jumper and a buzzer-beater.

Who made the first dunk?

Kurland, one of the first 7-foot centers, is credited with the first dunk in college basketball history when his Oklahoma A&M Aggies, which has since been renamed to Oklahoma State, played Temple.

Why is the NBA 3-point line farther?

David Stern approved the shortening of the 3-point line in the mid-90s for a couple of seasons. This resulted in a 3-point explosion – Michael Jordan himself shot above 40% from deep with a shortened line. The line was brought back to 23 feet, 9 inches at the top of the key in 1997.

When was shot clock introduced?

The shot clock was originally introduced in the NBA in 1954 as a way to increase scoring and reduce stalling tactics that were commonly used before its inception. It has been credited with increasing fan interest in the then-fledgling league, and has since been adopted at most organized levels of basketball.

Did they change the 3-point line?

The arc of the line was shortened for a few years in the '90s, but besides that, it hasn't changed much — and that's given players and coaches an opportunity to strategize around it. In 2014, statistic-obsessed sports executive Daryl Morey led what many people call the 3-point revolution.

Why is the corner 3 Easy?

That's why despite it being the easiest of the 3-pointers based on distance, players have to shoot from the corner quicker than they would from behind the arc, which is 23 feet, 9 inches from the center of the rim. Hornacek said he's always amazed at how many players are unprepared to take the corner 3.