Installing your own basketball system is a fantastic way to bring all the fun of the court, right to your own home. The main thing will be choosing the right type of goal for where you live. There are often three main varieties when it comes to buying a home basketball system: Portable, in-ground and mounted goals. The best type for you will depend upon the space that you have available, and also the method that seems most convenient. Each has different advantages and disadvantages, depending upon the way that you’ll be playing.
Probably the absolute easiest way to set up your own basketball system, is by purchasing a portable goal. These feature a full backboard, and hoop with a pole that can be extended to the professional standard height of 10ft. Plus they also feature a base that has wheels to make moving them about extremely easy. These are designed to be easy to maneuver, and set up so that you can pick the perfect area of your home and start playing as quickly as possible. The downside is that you probably won’t ever be able to dunk, as a portable basketball system can be prone to tipping over. This is why you’ll want to properly anchor the base using sand or water, but even then it probably isn’t stable enough for dunking.
If you absolutely need to have the ability to dunk the ball, you’ll want an in-ground or wall mounted basketball system. The in-ground method is the best method, and features actually digging a hole and then installing the pole and goal system into the ground somewhere on your property. Then cement is poured into the base to allow for extra stability. This results in an extremely sturdy hoop that is practically identical to any one you would find on an outdoor basketball court. This will allow you to do pretty much anything you would do on a normal basketball system.
Wall mounted goals aren’t quite as sturdy as the in-ground basketball system, but they do provide more stability than portable options. These consist of a backboard and hoop that you actually mount to an existing surface. This can be a wall of your garage, or even your home depending upon the space available. Wherever you put the goal you’ll want to ensure it’s attached to the surface very securely. You will be able to dunk on a wall mounted hoop only if it’s installed properly. Otherwise you run the risk of damaging the basketball system, and the surface on which it’s mounted.
When you’re looking to buy any type of basketball system that seems to fit your taste the best, you’ll want to go to a sporting goods store. Wall mounted goals are always going to be the cheapest, and you can find great options for as low as $70. Portable goals are more expensive, and fall into the $200 to $300 range. The in-ground basketball system is by far the most expensive at around $500, but remember that this is the one most likely to stand the test of time the best.