When my parents put a lifetime basketball hoop in our driveway, it was the beginning of my love for basketball. It was a basic backboard that was mounted to the garage wall. It was only 8 feet tall. It was great!
I spent the entire summer shooting hoops with friends and neighbors. I even got to make my first dunk on that basket. It is Malcolm Washington obvious that this lifetime basketball hoop was one of my best investments.
Many neighborhoods no longer allow permanent lifetime basketball hoop. Portable basketball goals are a great option if you don’t want to miss the joy of shooting hoops in your backyard.
1. The Backboard’s Size
You will not find a regulation lifetime basketball hoop backboard as large as this in your driveway. If money is not an issue and you want to build a professional basketball court, then a 72-inch backboard (and an indoor basketball hoop) are the best options. There are other options that are better.
Backboards are usually 44 inches wide. This makes it difficult to layup and almost impossible to bank shots. 54 inches is the ideal size for a backboard that offers better playability. These boards have a professional look and are ideal for layups and angled floating. High-end, premium hoops are often equipped with 60” backboards. Regulated 72” backboards tend to be reserved for professional and luxurious lifetime basketball hoop goals.
2. Material of the backboard
These three materials are used to make backboards Polyethylene, also known as Polycarbonate, is a fancy term for plastic. It is used most commonly for lifetime basketball hoop. This hoop is almost indestructible, which makes it a good choice if you’re looking for a simple hoop that will last for many years. Plastic has two issues if you are looking for a high-quality basket. Plastic has a very bad rebound effect, meaning that the ball stops hitting the backboard once it hits it. Plastic boards look like “kids hoops”.
Acrylic backboards offer a significant upgrade to the cheaper polyethylene ones. Transparency gives you a professional look. Acrylic is a soft material that can pick up scratches and eventually ruin the beautiful look.
