Step One— Do you want it for desktop publishing, gaming, massive number crunching, or to act as a network server? When buying a computer, one of the first things you must consider is how you are going to use it.  The same applies to basketball backboards.

Will it be for K-5 children (5-7’), Youth leagues (8-9’) or do you need 10’ for Middle Schoolers and up?

Step Two — Does it need to be portable? Make sure you think about where it will be stored and how it will stand up to rigorous use.

Step Three—How does it need to be mounted? Ceiling mount or wall mount?  Swing forward, backward, right or left keeping in mind all the uses of your facility.  Often volleyball and backboards, swinging the wrong way, don’t get along very well.  Sometimes, the basketball station can be, very appropriately, stationary and the costs of other mounting styles can be eliminated.

Step Four—What kind of backboard best fits your needs?

• Shape Matters—Rectangular or Fan Shaped
• Size Matters—44” to 72” wide, generally accepted height is 42”- 48”, thickness is usually ½” to 2”
• Construction Material Matters—Glass, Fiberglass, Acrylic, Composite, Steel, Wood or Aluminum

Step Five – Not all rims fit on all backboards so make sure you match rim needs to backboard compatability.

Step Six—Does it need to be height adjustable?

This will get you started.  Let us know if you want a complete guide to backboards and rims.