How Far Away Is The 3 Point Line In The NBA?
The 3 point line in the NBA is 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket in the corners and 22 feet, 0 inches from the basket in the other areas of the court.
The History of the 3 Point Line
The 3 point line was first introduced in the NBA during the 1979-1980 season. It was implemented in order to encourage more scoring and to make the game more exciting. The 3 point line has gone through a few changes since it was first introduced, but it is now a staple of the game. Let’s take a look at the history of the 3 point line.
When was the 3 point line introduced?
The three-point line was introduced in the NBA for the 1979-1980 season.
The distance from the basket was originally set at a uniform 22 feet all around the perimeter, with the exception of a “corner” area near each baseline where the distance was reduced to 20 feet.
In the 1994-1995 season, the NBA moved the three-point line back by a foot to a uniform distance of 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket throughout the league.
Why was the 3 point line introduced?
In the aftermath of the 1973–74 college basketball season, several rule changes were proposed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) aimed at reducing the domination of the game by tall players and increasing scoring. One proposed change would have reduced the shooting lane from twelve feet (3.7 m) wide to six feet (1.8 m). Rick Barnes, then head coach at George Mason University, was a member of the rules committee and strongly opposed narrowing the lane, arguing that it would negate George Mason’s effective use of a four-corner stall offense. An experimental rule used by the Ohio Valley Conference decreased the lane to ten feet (3.0 m) for that conference’s 1975–76 season only.
In February 1976, after several years of generally irate fan reaction to decreases in scoring, particularly during marquis conference games as well as some NCAA tournament games where one team would slow down play intentionally to keep the other team from running up the score on them, then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers suggested widening the foul lane—thus opening up more room for dribblers and offensive players, and perhaps restoring some lost scoring—and adding a three-point field goal accordingly. A successful three-point shot would score three points, versus the two points of a conventional field goal. This idea was supported by several coaches, including Dean Smith of North Carolina and Haywoode Workman of Ohio State; both were concerned about excessive physical play near the basket as well as rampant intentional fouling away from it that had become common in college basketball near that time. This would be accomplished with a new rule stating that any foul committed 200–250 inches (510–635 cm; 16.5–21 ft 8 in) from an offensive player’s own basket while he is attempting a shot would result in three free throw attempts being awarded to him; otherwise, it remained two shots as usual
At an ensuing rules committee meeting, Smith proposed that if a team scored 100 points in a game, its opponent should be allowed to attempt one or two free throws for each point over 100 scored by that team; this idea was not adopted but formed part of Smith’s thinking behind his later implementation at North Carolina of what came to be known as “The Four Corners Offense”.
The Current 3 Point Line
The three-point line is one of the most important aspects of the game of basketball. It is the line that separates the two point shot from the three point shot. The three point shot is worth one more point than the two point shot, so it is a very important part of the game. The three point line has been moved several times throughout the history of the NBA, and it is currently 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket.
How far away is the 3 point line in the NBA?
The 3 point line in the NBA is 22 feet in the corners and 23 feet, 9 inches at the top of the key.
In order to be awarded 3 points for a shot, the ball must be shot from behind the 3 point line and it must go in the basket.
For a shot to be considered a 3 pointer, it must be taken from behind the 3 point line. The NBA has used this rule since the 1979-80 season.
In order to make a 3 pointer worth more than 2 points, the league introduced what is called the “arc” or “paint.” This is an area that is located on either side of the basket and is 19 feet, 9 inches away from the center of the hoop.
If a player shoots from behind this arc, it will be worth 3 points. If a player shoots from inside this arc, it will only be worth 2 points.
The introduction of this distance helped to open up the game and increase scoring. It also made for more exciting games as players were now able to shoot from longer distances and try to make more difficult shots.
The current distance of the 3 point line was introduced during the 2008-09 season when it was moved back 1 foot, 9 inches from where it was previously located.
What is the difference between the 3 point line in the NBA and the 3 point line in college basketball?
The three-point line is the boundary line that separates the two-point area from the three-point area in basketball. In the NBA, the three-point line is 23 feet, 9 inches from the basket in the corners and 22 feet, 0 inches away from the basket in the rest of the court. In college basketball, the three-point line is 20 feet, 9 inches from the basket in all areas of the court.
The Future of the 3 Point Line
In the past few seasons, the NBA has seen a surge in the number of 3 point attempts. This is due to the success of players like Stephen Curry and Kyrie Irving, who have shown that the 3 point shot is a viable option. Many people are wondering if the 3 point line will be moved further back in the future.
Will the 3 point line be moved further back in the future?
The short answer is maybe.
The three-point line has been a part of the game since the 1979-80 season, when it was introduced as a way to add more excitement to the game. The line was originally set at 23 feet, nine inches from the basket, which is where it remains today.
However, there have been calls over the years to move the line back, as the percentage of successful three-point shots has increased dramatically since its inception. In the 1980-81 season, only three percent of all field goal attempts were three-pointers, compared to 35 percent in the 2018-19 season.
So it stands to reason that if the percentage of successful three-pointers continues to increase, eventually the league will have to make a change. It’s possible that we could see thethree-point line moved back to its original distance of 23 feet, nine inches, or even further back in an effort to reduce the number of successful threes being made.
However, there is also a case to be made for leaving things as they are. Three-pointers are one of the most exciting parts of basketball today, and moving the line back would take away one of the game’s most entertaining aspects. Additionally, players have become so good at shooting threes that moving the line back would likely only result in a slight decrease in successful threes being made.
At this point, it’s impossible to say for sure whether or not we’ll see the three-point line moved back in the future. It’s something that will likely be discussed by league officials and coaches over time, and a decision will eventually be made based on what they feel is best for the game.
What other changes could be made to the 3 point line?
As the game of basketball continues to evolve, it’s fair to wonder if the three point line will too. Could we see the NBA’s signature long-range shot become even more prevalent? Could we see the line moved back, or even eliminated altogether?
For now, it seems unlikely that any major changes will be made to the three point line. But that doesn’t mean the league isn’t experimenting with different ideas. In 2019, the NBA tested a new format for its All-Star Game that included a four-point line. And while that experiment was ultimately deemed a failure, it does show that the league is at least open to the idea of change.
It’s also worth noting that the three point line has already been moved once before, back in 2008. At that time, the league decided to move the line back by nearly a foot, in an effort to reduce the number of three-pointers being attempted (and made). But after just two seasons, the league reversed course and moved the line back to its original location.
So for now, it seems unlikely that any major changes will be made to the three point line. But who knows? Maybe in a few years we’ll all be shooting from even further away.
