We’ve all heard the popular phrase, “practice like you play”. In order to perfect your basketball skills it is important to replicate game time conditions as closely as possible. Whether it is working on an outside jump shot, perfecting a slam dunk, or improving under the board a professional grade, official regulation basketball goal is necessary.
So what determines if a basketball goal is regulation or simply recreational? There are several specifications and attributes that deem a basketball goal worthy of being considered regulation or professional grade.
The backboard on the inground basketball system should be made of ½” tempered glass. Several manufacturers over the years have implemented several cost saving measures which have greatly impacted the performance of the backboard. Many brands will either use acrylic in place of glass or simply use a very thin glass in order to cut costs and maximize profitability. The problem with varying from the standard is that the performance of the basketball goal is affected. The ball deflection off the glass and rebound response will be noticeably different. These cheaper materials create a deadening effect on the backboard. This can be crucial when trying to hone in specific skills to improve your game.
Overhang is defined as the distance from the front of the base pole to the front of the backboard. On an official regulation basketball court the distance from the base line to the backboard is four feet. If you are looking for an official regulation basketball goal you will want to insure that the overhang is four feet at a minimum. There are a few select manufactures that even offer a five foot overhang to push the base pole one foot outside of the base line for maximum safety. This distance is important as it allows players to perfect their skills under the backboard. Once a team progresses the ball to the far end of the court a high percentage of activity occurs in this specific area.
The rigidity of a basketball goal is also very important. In order to alleviate extreme shake and vibration during play it is crucial that the in ground basketball system is sturdy enough to maintain its rigidity. In today’s market it is all about keeping cost down and profit high. Many big name manufacturers have systematically reduced the size of the main pole, utilized thinner steel, and implemented smaller, shorter extension arms. All of these tactics reduce the weight of the basketball goal thus bringing the cost down in order to keep their profits high. A professional grade regulation basketball goal will have a very thick main pole, beefy extension arms, and utilize 7 gauge steel. This keeps the in ground basketball system heavy and sturdy which translates into an official playing experience. An easy way to quickly compare one basketball goal to another is to consider the system weight. In this case bigger is always better as it translates into more glass and more steel and ultimately an official, regulation basketball experience.
Resource Mega Slam
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