What is the Difference Between Basketball and Netball?

Basketball and netball are both popular sports that involve putting a ball through a hoop, but they have some key differences:

1. Equipment:

• Netball balls are smaller (8.9 inches in diameter) than basketball balls (9.4 inches in diameter).
• The hoop diameter in basketball is 18 inches, while in netball, it is 15 inches.
• Basketball has a backboard behind the hoop, while netball does not.

1. Court:

• The netball court measures 50 by 100 feet, whereas the basketball court measures 50 by 94 feet.

1. Players:

• Basketball is predominantly played by men, while netball is mostly played by women.
• Netball is a non-contact sport, with opposing players required to stay about 0.9 meters away from the player with the ball. In contrast, basketball is a contact sport.

1. Gameplay:

• In netball, each player is assigned a specific role and position on the court, making it more position-oriented.
• Basketball allows dribbling, while dribbling is not allowed in netball.

1. Scoring:

• Both sports involve shooting the ball into a hoop to gain points, but field goals in basketball are scored as two points near the hoop and three points from outside the 3-point line. In netball, shooters require accuracy, as there is no backboard to help direct the ball into the hoop.

In summary, while basketball and netball share some similarities, they differ in equipment, court dimensions, players, gameplay, and scoring systems.

Comparative Table: Basketball vs Netball

Here is a table comparing the differences between basketball and netball:

Both basketball and netball are popular team sports involving throwing a ball through a hoop. However, they differ in various aspects, such as court dimensions, hoop size, ball size, team size, dribbling, player contact, and positions.