A good Basketball hoop can bring happiness for your child. It is a lifetime investment. It gives the opportunity to kids from your neighborhood to gather and practice their abilities to participate in national leagues. Adults do not need to get sad as they can also practice with it and make it a fun game. With the help of the best basketball hoop for the driveway, you can bring fun and exercise in your life. We have seen that most people opt for a variety of portable basketball, but they do not give you real playing experience as they are somewhat bit unstable. Therefore if you have space in your backyard or driveway, you can install a permanent basketball hoop which will bring lots of entertainment for you and your friends.

In this article, we will assist you in finding the best basketball hoop for driveway so that you can enjoy instead live game instead of sitting in front TV. Do not think permanent basketball hoop is a cheap investment, they are expensive to install, but it can stay with you for a longer time. There are many considerations before buying a basketball for your driveway. You have to ask these essential questions before the purchase of a basketball hoop:

Are you legally allowed to install basketball in your driveway?

You have to make sure whether you are allowed to install basketball in your driveway or no. Many municipalities do not allow people to install such items. Therefore you have to make sure before installing so that it will not create a problem for you in future. You can go for portable basketball hoops if permanent one is not allowed.

Are there any underground utility lines?

Installing a permanent basketball requires a deep hole of about 48 inches. Therefore you have to make sure there are no utility lines underground. For this purpose, you can call at free service and ask where you can install the hoop safely.

What are the dimensions of the court?

You need to measure the dimensions of the court before buying any basketball hoop. If you have a big court, you can go for a bigger hoop but if not then it is better to strict to the smaller one. According to regulation dimensions for the half court are 50′ x 47′ and, your driveway cannot be that big. By keeping in mind the hoop height, overhang, backboard and other measures, your needs to be 27 feet long.

If your court does not have this much of space, you can buy a basketball hoop with smaller hoop height, overhang, and backboard. This way dimensions will also look good, and your court will not be shrunk more.

What to look for when buying an in-ground basketball?

When you have finalized that you are buying a basketball hoop for the driveway, then there are many characteristics to consider before concluding anyone.  You have to focus on following points of basketball hoop:

• The width of the goal post
• Size of the hoop
• Material used
• Overhang of the backboard
• Rim quality
• We will discuss these characteristics in detail:
• Support Pole

Which type of Support Pole should you install?

The main part of a basketball hoop is supported pole which should be stable as it provides the base. You have a choice of the cheap and expensive support pole. The cheap one comes with support pole of multi. You have to insert into 24’deep hole occupied by the solid material like cement. Here you have to make sure that the pole is vertical as it cannot be adjusted later. Thus that is the most complicated part of other installation steps.

Moreover, expensive hoops come with anchor kit like all other in ground basketball hoops. They require a digging of 48″ depth, and you have to keep in mind 8 to 25 bags of concrete for filling.  There are nuts of J-bolts under the anchor plate which can be adjusted to level the backboard. It is the biggest advantage of expensive hoops.

How much should be the Thickness of Support Pole?

You want poles to be stable and durable and also for minimizing the shaking off after shots. The negative thing about cheaper hoops is that they come with flimsy support poles which have a diameter of 3.5″. In this way, they lack the professional playing experience being less stable.

Can I adjust the Height of hoops?

Yes, you can adjust the height of basketball hoops as per your wish. Most of the basketball hoops available in the market are height-adjustable. You can easily lower the rim to 7.5 feet. It is good for kids who are not able to shoot at 10 feet goal and yet can enjoy the game like Blake Griffin.

However according to experts height adjustment is also under question regarding its instability. Therefore, if you are not planning to purchase for kids, then it is better to go for a fixed height hoop.

What should be the Size of the Backboard?

The size of a backboard is also of great concern. The backboard used in NBA and NCAA regulation is 72 inches in width and 42 inches in height. The backboard has a huge weight and is thus used for enormous and expensive basketball hoops. The size of cheap backboard hoops is 48 inches in width but we have seen 54, and 60 inches are most common. Now you can easily do bank shots and layups with these normal size backboard. However, 72 inches is more suitable for most progressive basketball hoops.

Which material of backboard is more suitable?

Polycarbonate is very lightweight and less durable material. Typically manufacturers use it to make cheaper backboards. Unluckily theses Polycarbonate backboards response is not great because Polycarbonate is very light and soft as well. You can feel the difference especially if you compare it to high-quality indoor hoops. The other negative thing about these Polycarbonate backboards is that they lose their original color and becomes yellow due to exposure to the sun.

The professional backboards are made of tempered glass which is known for its resistant, high rebound response and hardness. Even after so many years, you will see a slight change in color. The drawback of tempered glass is its massive weight. That is the reason you see very fewer layers of glass in average price hoops such as hoops (1/4″). The good quality hoops have backboards of thickness twice as (1/2″). Therefore 72-inch wide backboard weight above 100lbs and gives amazing playing experience without any effect of basketball.

How much should be the Overhang of the backboard?

The official distance between baseline and backboard is meant to be 4 feet according to the NBA basketball court. In this way, players can attack the rim without hurting into the stands. It can also allow players to go underneath the basket.  If you also want to perform this stunt then make sure there is a big overhang.

What is the role of Rim in basketball hoop?

Rim is crucial as it minimizes the impact of shots and rebounds time also gets shorter with it. All the in-ground basketball hoops have rim attached. After a powerful dunk, you can comfortably and easily hang on the ring.

Product review

1. Lifetime basketball hoop 90020

Lifetime is a company which is known for reasonable basketball hoops with good quality. The 90020 is ideal for young kids and is also lower in price. As compared to other cheap products it is superb as the overhang of 22 prevents you from hurting yourself in goal post and also allows you to play nicely under the basket. It features a smaller size of backboard plus light Polycarbonate material.

Pros:

• It is an affordable and rattle-free hoop.
• Digging of depth is comfortable to this pole because it needs only 24.”
• It is best for kids especially aged less than 13 years if they want to have some play fun in their driveway.

Cons:

• The stability and strength of this hoop are unsatisfactory as it will clatter after few shots.
• The backboard is 48 inches which are smaller than professional 72″ backboard.

If you are buying for kids at home, then its low price and portability features make it an excellent choice.

2. Lifetime 71525 In Ground Basketball System

Lifetime 71525 is made from robust material and features 54” backboard for high-intensity play. Moreover, the power lift height features give you the convenience to adjust it according to your desired height. You can either set it at 7.5 feet for children or 10 feet for a professional gameplay.

Pros:

• The technical specifications are quite simple to understand.
• It is also made of Polycarbonate thus light in weight.
• This basketball system is available with 5years warranty.
• You can adjust the height with one hand.
• If you have kids in the different age group, they can adjust the hoop as per the choice as power lift pole is quite accessible.

Cons:

• The height adjustment system is not as strong enough.

The good thing about lifetime 71525 as compared to 90020 is that it has a bigger backboard of 48″ which helps players mark shots and layups without any difficulty. Lifetime 71525 is a good option as a beginner with large backboard. However, its overhang and support pole is same as of 90020.

3. Spalding 88461G

The Spalding basketball hoop made up of tempered glass. It also features a big backboard of 60″. Moreover, the product is quite affordable. It is the right choice if you want to do layups higher than the glass. The 1/4″ thickness of tempered glass backboard offers a great rebound. When it comes to durability 4” Square steel pole gives you the maximum stability.

Pros:

• The rebound response is excellent because of the big dimensions and tempered glass.
• The adjustment system is bit tricky but very stable and durable.
• It keeps rattling and shaking at the right place with the provision of 4″x4″ support pole and steady adjustment system.
• It do not require huge space for installing

Cons:

• There is no padding in backboard or support holes thus you have to buy it later for safety concern.
• The kids cannot adjust on their own.

Thus Spalding 88461G  is a great choice if you want affordable basketball hoop with upright quality and big dimensions of the backboard.

4. Goalrilla GLR GS 54

The GLR GS 54 from Goalrilla comes with a feature of the concrete anchor system. The portability issue is also resolved in this model. You can easily unbolt and move the goal. The hoop is made of tempered glass with a dimension of 3/8″ and a big backboard of 54″.

Pros:

• The support pole is made of single solid steel of 5″x5″ which is further linked to 48″ deep concrete base with the help of anchor kit.
• No shaking at all
• If you are moving, you can easily uninstall it with the help of new anchor kit.
• You can choose between 2 options of backboards such as 60″ or 72″

Cons:

• There is no padding in it for safety concerns.

Keeping in mind the features if your driveway is small or medium and you want to have a high-quality basketball hoop in it, then Goalrilla GS54 is the right choice.

5. Lifetime 1529 Courtside Basketball System

Lifetime 1529 Basketball System allows you to play basketball like a pro in your backyard. Its 50-inch backboard has a 1”x1” frame. It features a lightweight polyethylene material which is 3.5 millimeters thick. Its slam-it steel rim is heavy duty and allows you to plunge like a professional and simultaneously protecting you from injuries. The hoop uses a telescoping mechanism which is height adjustable 8 feet to 10 feet.  Its base has a capacity of 27 gallons which can be filled with water or sand and thus gives it more stability and durability.

Pros:

• The speed shift lift system is user-friendly.
• The black powder coating guards against rust and other elements.
• It has made dunking very easy.
• It has 5-year warranty
• The light weight makes the portability more convenient.

Cons:

• Its rim has outer spring which is at risk of rust.
• Due to the three piece pole system, there are shakings on shots.

The height adjustable, and durability makes it right choice among other portable basketballs. If you are looking for a low priced hoop which has outstanding features and quality, then Lifetime 1529 Portable Basketball System is a just right choice.

Conclusion:

We have talked about five best basketball hoop for driveway and choosing among them is not an easy job. Each one gives good value for money and serves the purpose well. If you have kids at home, then Lifetime 90020 is the right choice for beginner and affordable as well. If you want to have a more professional yet affordable, then Spalding 88461G is the right choice. Goalrilla GS54 with a big backboard size is perfect for your medium sized driveway. We have narrowed down the search for you so you can choose easily as per your needs.

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