WNBA Vs NBA: Hoop Height, Rim Diameter, Ball Size

WNBA rim height remains 10 feet off the court similar to NBA. This is the regulation height for all competitive basketball beyond junior high school.

The standard altitude has been continuously set within the sport since the late 19th century.

Basketball hoops throughout the gym, parks, and hotels always have been identical. Even in junior school, high school, university, NCAA, WNBA, NBA as well and FIBA have their rim height 10'0" from the playing ground above.

Both the WNBA and NBA have a court length of 94 feet and a height of 50 feet. The way the games are played differs significantly, making a notable contrast between them.

But the courts that are played in high schools as well as colleges are different. Even the FIBA court has a different distance than of NBA which is 91.86 feet long and 49.21 feet wide.

Although the recommended heights are similar, they vary when it comes to students in 5th grade or 4th grade. They are generally made to practice in 8 or 9 feet of rim. Many customizable rim heights can also be done according to the grade and necessity of the children.

Unique types of basketball systems have grown recently such as wall-mounted indoor basketball hoops and portable basketball hoops. For small children, one can also find hoops according to their needs.

WNBA rim diameter is exactly 18 inches mirroring the standard of the NBA. Rim sizes do not vary even in high schools and universities.

When the basketball concept was first founded there was no fixed size regulation for the rim diameter as the player used to play by dropping the ball in the peach basket.

But after the modern century, new modern and systematic rules were prepared. As per the diameter of the rim it was marked as eighteen ins. It was an emerging concept for men's basketball during the establishment of the NBA in 1946.

The board where rims are attached has a long history ahead of it. At the time of 1891, there were no boards used. Later a wodden board was placed at the back of the peach basket so that the ball would not fall over.

Development of the board gradually increased as the wooden board helped the player to make a precise shot. The glass board was brought into practice in the 1900s for the visibility of the players and the audience.

Gradually breakaway rims, tempered glass backboards, fiberboard and acrylic backboards, and digital display backboards were introduced which made an impactful performance for the players.

A standard size of the backboard with a measurement of 6 feet wide and 42 inches tall is widely practiced all around the globe which is attached by the basketball rim. 

The women's basketball also took a pace and the rule for the rim diameter was applied the same. This designated rim size ensures consistency throughout the game as well as offers a steady surface for shooting, dunking, and scoring.

One NBA-sized ball with a 29.5-inch circumference can fit inside a diameter of 18 column inches along with a radius of 9-in that are used by WNBA and NBA pros.

There have not been any significant changes made to the rim diameter that have been recorded. Changes can be made as per the desire and condition of the players.

Such as for young players the rim diameter can be made more accessible to enhance their shooting skills. Even during some novelty programs, the rim diameter is adjusted by the host for the entertainment of guests.

Yes, the ball size of WNBA is comparatively smaller than that of the NBA ball. Players in the NBA use a ball size of 29.5 inches whereas in WNBA it is 28.5 inches.

The official size considered for the NBA ball is number 7 with a weight of 22 ounces which is different in comparison to the ball of WNBA which is size 6 with 20 ounces.

A reasonable explanation for the difference in size and weight of the ball is due to the natural disparity of hand size that can be found. The men typically have a larger hand than the women.

Basketballs that are used during the NCAA tournament are also dissimilar for boys and girls. Boys are mostly given with the 9.39 to 9.55 inches of ball whereas the female plays with 9.07 and 9.23 inches.

Youths who are under the age of 8 are endorsed to play using the ball size of 5 while the young lads from age 9 to 11 are suggested with size 6.

The evolution of basketball began from the time when it was first brought into practice. A soccer ball was the most commonly used ball till the late 1800s. In the years 1930 to 1950 a ball made of brown leather was officially considered the first ball in the NBA.

The Spalding Official NBA Basketball was introduced in 1967 with a pebbled surface and an orange color. This design began the innovation that has been followed till now.

In the new era using modern equipment, synthetic leather and composite materials a newer and better version of the ball has been invented which has been used for many generations now. Although the size might differ for NBA and WNBA the quality remains the same.

The WNBA has recorded 33 dunks total as of July 2023. Lisa Leslie became the first player to make a dunk in WNBA history in 2002.

The names of the athletes along with their number of dunks are listed below:

While Lisa was playing for the Los Angeles Sparks she was able to make her first dunk on July 30, 2002, against Miami Sol. She scored her second dunk against the same team in 2005.

''Queen of slam dunks'', Brittney Griner has been crowned with her highest number of dunks throughout the history of the WNBA which is 23 dunks. It has been recorded that while she was a high school senior, she made 52 dunks.

Dunks were banned in the WNBA from 1967 to 1976. Mainly there were safety concerns of the players, along with the lack of skills. Slam dunks were used to change the face of the game drastically which impacted the play. But as time changed the rules in WNBA also got evolved.

Candace Parker was the first WNBA player to make two dunks during a single regulation game in 2008. Not only that Sylvia Fowles also holds an impressive record for the two dunks.

Additionally, Liz Cambage made her first impressive dunk shot during the 2012 London Olympics which made her the first female ever to dunk on Olympic games.