How to Buy a Basketball Hoop
The hoop you choose depends on where you intend to install it.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Stake out an area for your court. Look for somewhere flat, paved and spacious, such as a driveway or vacant lot.
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2
Decide whether you will be mounting the hoop on a building or from a freestanding pole.
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3
If mounting the hoop on a building, look for a hoop with an opaque backboard. A transparent plexiglass backboard is difficult to see against a house's roof or an apartment wall.
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4
Look for a rounded backboard made of wood or fiberglass and painted a light color.
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5
See if the backboard has a bank-shot target - usually a rectangle painted behind the hoop. Choose this whenever possible.
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6
Examine how the hoop attaches to the backboard. See if the orange hoop is "fixed" to the backboard with a single piece of metal or if it has a spring-loaded "breakaway" section. The breakaway design allows the hoop to bend slightly under weight. If you intend to dunk or hang on the rim, choose the breakaway model.
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7
Make sure all hardware - nuts, bolts and decals - is included in the box.
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8
If buying a freestanding pole, make sure bolts for the base are available.
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9
Check for measurement marks on the pole to ensure the hoop is the proper height above the ground.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure the backboard can fit the space where you intend to mount it. Some steep or shingled roofs will not hold a backboard straight.
Try to mount the hoop in a place where you can paint a court - or at least a free-throw line - below it.
If you decide to make your own backboard, don't use plywood. It will crack. Use a thicker, harder wood.
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Comments
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Nov 22, 2005
If you have decided to make your own backboard, I recommend that you not use plywood. Plywood will crack a lot sooner than other materials. -
Nov 22, 2005
If you have decided to make your own backboard, I recommend that you not use plywood. Plywood will crack a lot sooner than other materials.