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updates | July 28, 2026

What size is a 28.5 basketball?

Size 6 basketballs measure 28.5” and have a standard weight of 20 oz.

What does 28.5 mean on a basketball?

28.5" Basketballs

Women, girls ages 12+, and boys ages 12-14 use basketballs that measure 28.5" in circumference and weigh 20 ounces. 28.5" basketballs are also referred to as "intermediate" or "size 6" balls. Women's leagues including the WNBA, college and high school use 28.5" basketballs.

Is 28.5 a men's ball?

The 28.5” women's basketball, or size 6 basketball, is the official ball size for most women's professional basketball associations, including the WNBA, including women's college and high school basketball leagues. This ball has a 28.5” circumference, just one inch smaller than the one used in the NBA.

Is a 28.5 basketball a girl's ball?

Women/girls age 12 and up and boys ages 12 to 14 should play with a 28.5” basketball. Baden was actually the first basketball manufacturer to produce a 28.5” ball specifically for women. Baden founders, E.C.

What size is a 28 inch basketball?

The official size of the basketball used by the NBA is 29.5 inches in circumference. That's the same size used throughout men's college and high school basketball leagues. The WNBA uses a slightly smaller ball, measuring 28.5 inches in circumference.

24 related questions found

Is 29.5 a men's ball?

Size 7 (29.5" or 75cm) is the official size of all adult basketballs, suitable for male basketball players aged 12 years and over.

What size basketball do 14 year olds use?

Size 7 29.5” 22 oz Men and boys ages 15 and up. This is official size for high school, college, and the pros. Size 6 28.5” 20 oz Boys ages 12-14.

What is the official size of a women's basketball?

What Is the Size of Women's Basketballs? In the United States, women's basketball is 29 inches and weighs 570 g. The majority of leagues such as NCAA, WNBA, and the likes use a range of 28.5 and 29 inches basketball for females. In professional female basketballers, the perfect size is 29 inches.

What size is a normal basketball hoop?

The top of the hoop is 10 feet (305 cm) above the ground. Regulation backboards are 6 feet (183 cm) wide by 3.5 feet (107 cm) tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter.

What size basketball should a 12 year old use?

For boys, a size 6 basketball should be used between the ages of 12 and 13. For girls, a size 6 basketball should be used once they hit 12-years-old and is the official size used at the high school, college, and professional level. The circumference of the basketball should be 28.5" and the weight 20 oz.

How tall is WNBA Hoop?

A WNBA hoop stands at ten feet tall from the top of the rim to the base of the floor. According to TFI Global News, the average height of a female basketball player is 5'11”. Comparing that to the NBA, which is seven inches taller on average, you can understand why dunking is less common in the WNBA.

What size ball does NBA use?

During NBA and FIBA play men use a Size 7 basketball, with a circumference of 75 centimetres, while women use a Size 6 ball measuring 72.5cm around.

What size basketball should I buy?

FOR ADULTS The official model of basketball for men is size 7. For women, the size 6 model is official for Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) women's leagues. FOR CHILDREN There are also basketballs designed specifically for children. They range from size 1 to size 5.

Is the NBA rim 12 feet?

The rims have always been 10-feet high since James Naismith posted 13 rules for a game he called “Basket Ball” in a Springfield, Mass., YMCA gym in 1891. The average height for men during that time, however, was 5-foot-6.

What size is basketball backboard?

Regulation backboards are 72 inches (183 cm) wide by 42 inches (110 cm) tall. All basketball rims (hoops) are 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter. The inner rectangle on the backboard is 24 inches (61 cm) wide by 18 inches (46 cm) tall.

What size is NBA backboard?

The backboard shall be a rectangle measuring 6' horizontally and 3 ½' vertically. The front surface shall be flat and transparent. A transparent backboard shall be marked with a 2” white rectangle centered behind the This rectangle shall have outside dimensions of 24” horizontally and 18” vertically.

Is a size 7 basketball women's?

When the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) was formed in 1996, they also adopted the Size 6 ball. Outside of the U.S, reservations about smaller balls for women remained until 2004, when the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) changed the rule on the basketball size for women, mandating a Size 6.

What is Chicago's WNBA team called?

The Chicago Sky are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Sky compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Eastern Conference. The franchise was founded prior to the 2006 season.

What size basketball do 13 year olds use?

For boys, a size 6 basketball should be used between the ages of 12 and 13. For girls, a size 6 basketball should be used once they hit 12-years-old and is the official size used at the high school, college, and professional level. The circumference of the basketball should be 28.5" and the weight 20 oz.

What size basketball Do 6th graders use?

Size 6 – 28.5” /20 oz / For girls in grades 6 and up. For boys in grades 6-8, possibly for experienced boys in grades 3-5. This is the official size for women's high school, college, and pro basketball.

How big is a basketball diameter?

One size does not fit all in basketball. The official NBA basketball size is 29.5 inches in circumference, and that standard is used across men's college and boy's high school basketball. This is also known as size 7, with a weight of 22 ounces and a diameter between 9.43 and 9.51 inches.

How far is a high school free throw?

Shorter than either the NCAA or NBA, the high school free throw line is just 19 feet, nine inches from the center of the basket. Additionally, high school basketball courts do not have any restricted area under the basket, since that rule doesn't exist in high school basketball.