Why Are NBA Courts Painted? Here's the Reason Behind the Vibrant Update
The NBA announced in October 2023 that they were unveiling new designs for courts for each team competing in the inaugural In-Season Tournament, which is now known as the Emirates NBA Cup.
Published Nov. 13 2024, 4:58 p.m. ET
If you ask anyone what a basketball court looks like, they can give you a fairly general description. Traditionally made of wood, they have a basketball hoop at either end, with painted penalty lines and boundaries. But for most of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) history, the courts have remained the color of wood with painted designs and additions.
Yet in 2023, everything changed. As the In-Season Tournament 2023 launched, the league decided to paint the courts a vibrant and full-coverage version of each hosting team's colors. There are a few very specific reasons for this vibrant upgrade, and it mostly has to do with ease of viewership for NBA fans.
The home court of the Lakers, as it appeared before 2023
This is why NBA courts are painted.
Gone are the plain backgrounds of the wooden NBA courts with a few colorful designs. At least for now. Enter: eye-wateringly bright home team designs.
The NBA announced in October 2023 that they were unveiling new designs for courts for each team competing in the inaugural In-Season Tournament, which is now known as the Emirates NBA Cup. The goal was to make it easier to distinguish which team you were watching at first glance, and to update the 82-year-old league's overall look. The league-wide court re-designs came with a proscribed look.
Now, the court is visually broken up roughly into thirds. Courts boast one dominant color at the top and bottom separated by a 16-foot central strip of a secondary color. The courts also display edges consisting of the dominant color on all four sides.
Christopher Arena, head of the NBA's on-court brand and partnership marketing, told the Washington Post last year of the changes, "We’re all trying to figure out the best ways we can elevate this from the regular season so that people understand how important this is. It all comes together in the most powerful way in these courts. This is the first time we’ve had courts that are completely painted. There’s no wood being shown. Each court takes its inspiration from the uniforms.”
Here's a quick breakdown of what you need to know for the Emirates NBA Cup.
Fans have been deeply divided online as to whether they enjoy the changes or not. But it's all for the league's In-Season Tournament, which has since changed its name to the Emirates NBA Cup.
Those who are not particularly familiar with the Cup can be forgiven since it's a relatively new addition to the NBA world. The tournament is held Nov. 12 to Dec. 17, 2024, and encompasses the 2024-2025 NBA season. All 30 teams in the league will participate, being successively narrowed down as they compete with one another.
The tournament begins with a group stage, which is narrowed down by points and performance, and the selections are modeled after several European sports league tournaments.
The new court appearances and the new NBA Cup has some diehard fans nervous, as they worry online that things are changing too rapidly. But whether they love or hate it, fans who want to watch the 2024-2025 season can't ignore the tournament and all its changes: For now, at least, they're here to stay.