The key, officially referred to as the free throw lane by the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and the restricted area by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), is a marked area on a basketball court surrounding the basket, where much of the game's action takes place.
Wally Szczerbiak shoots a free throw; in most leagues, the team of the free throw shooter has at most two players (aside from the free throw shooter) on the sides of the key, while the opposing team has three.
Jason Bohannon shoots a free throw; in the American NCAA and NAIA, there can be at most three players on each side of the key during a free throw.
Image: Deng shot 121407
Image: Patriot Center Inside 2011
In basketball, the basketball court is the playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end. Indoor basketball courts are almost always made of polished wood, usually maple, with 3.048 meters (10 ft)-high rims on each basket. Outdoor surfaces are generally made from standard paving materials such as concrete or asphalt. International competitions may use glass basketball courts.
The home court of the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association.
Kawhi Leonard at the free throw line during Game 2 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
