NBA 3 point line
Basketball is one of the most popular sports worldwide, boasting of a massive fan base. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the professional men’s league in Northern America. It consists of 30 teams, 29 in the USA, and 1 in Canada.
Like any professional sporting league, it has its set of rules that make the game fair. Some of the regulations focus on the configuration of the court. It looks at the dimensions, the area, and also the height of the baskets. If you are keen on basketball, you will notice that the courts differ in area.
For example, under the Federation of International Basketball Association’s (FIBA) rules, the courts are smaller as compared to the NBA’s.
One major point of contention is the NBA 3 point line that seems to differ from other leagues. According to Sporting Charts (https://www.sportingcharts.com/dictionary/nba/three-point-field-goal.aspx), the 3 point line is the arc, 22 feet away from the basket pole and 23 ft 9 inches from everywhere else. Let us go down in history to trace the origin of the 3 point line.
3 point line history
According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-point_field_goal), the three-point line first came through in 1945 at the collegiate level. It was in a game between Fordham and Columbia, though it not a focal point for some time.
The use of the 3 point line in major leagues came in the early 1960s, in the American Basketball league (ABL). However, the ABL folded sooner, and the 3-point quickly sunk into oblivion.
The NBA was not quick to pick the point line as it saw it to be more gimmicky. The American Basketball Association came up in 1967 and picked up the three-pointer. The league was more fan-oriented and experimented with fan-friendly ideas.
In 1976, the NBA and the ABA merged with the adoption of the three-pointer following three years later.
NBA 3 point line vs. college
As earlier indicated, the NBA 3 point line differs from the other leagues. It is also different from the college basketball 3 point line. In college basketball, the arc is narrower compared to that of the NBA.
The NBA’s arc is 23 feet and 9 inches in radius, while at the collegiate level, the arc is 22 feet and1.75 inches. The minimum distance from the sidelines for National Basketball League is 3 feet, and in NCAA standards, it is 3 feet 4 inches wide.
International 3 point line distance
Internationally, the Federation of International Basketball (FIBA) is the governing body in charge of basketball worldwide. It has its own rules, some of which are similar while others are different from those of the NBA. Among the differing regulations is on the 3-point line distance.
The FIBA approved courts for international matches are smaller than their NBA counterparts. The arc radius of the three-point line is similar to that of the NCAA at 22 feet and 1.75 inches. From the sidelines, the distance is 2 feet 11 inches.
NCAA women’s 3 point line distance
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the organization that regulates and organizes sporting activities for many colleges and universities in the USA. Under the NCAA, we have women’s basketball. Focusing on the three-point line, the league is still at an experimental phase, yet to decide the suitable distance.
According to NCAA’s website (https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-women/article/2019-05-10/experimental-3-point-line-recommended-womens-basketball), committee members recently were debating on whether to move the line back to the 22 feet 1.75 inches distance. At the moment, the arc lies at 20 feet 9 inches.
When was the three-point shot introduced in college basketball
As the three-point shot went mainstream and got accepted in the major leagues, it was a matter of time for it to debut in collegiate basketball. NCAA’s Southern Conference was the first conference at the college level to use the three-pointer. That was in the 1980-1981 season, where it used a 22-foot line.
The line varied in the distance among the several conferences, with the range being between 5.41 meters and 6.71 meters. The NCAA fully adopted the 3 point line in the 86-87 season at 6.02 meters. Over the years, the distance changes according to the governing body’s standards.
Basketball court layout
The court is the arena for playing basketball. It is rectangular and contains symmetrical sections, reflecting on either side of the court; that is of the opposing teams. There is the center circle, which allows only two players to contest when the match begins.
Then there is the three-point line, which is a prominent arc that extends to the baseline. At the center is the midcourt line, which cuts across the center circle. The foul line extends all way to the baseline and cuts across the free-throw circle.
NBA 3 point vs. international 3 point
As indicated, the NBA’s 3 point rules differ from those of the FIBA. The courts are of different dimensions, the same to the 3 point distance.
The free-throw line distance
The free-throw line is usually 4.57 meters from the backboard by NBA standards. For FIBA ns NCAA, the range is 4.6 meters.
Three pointer basketball
In basketball, a three-pointer refers to the shots made behind the three-point line. In the case of a score, the team receives three points and is mostly due to the long distance of the shot.
NBA 3 Point leaders
In the NBA, there are several players with significant three-pointers made. According to Land of Basketball (https://www.landofbasketball.com/all_time_leaders/3_pointers_total_career_season.htm), the current three-point leader is Ray Allen, a former player who appeared for the NBA for 18 seasons. He has 7429 attempts and 2973 successful 3 point shots.
At second place is Reggie Miller, a retired player with 18 appearances, and he had 6486 trials with 2560 successful 3 point shots. At third place is Golden State Warriors’, Stephen Curry. He has 11 appearances, with 5739 attempts and 2495 successful scores. Speculations point at Curry emerging top of the list before his career folds.
Final word
The three-point is a vital point in the basketball court, that if taken advantage of, can lead to impressive wins for the team. Above are some of the things you need to know about the three-point line.