In a regulation game of basketball, the rim is required to be ten feet off the ground in all levels of play. This was one of the original 13 rules of the game at the time of its invention by James Naismith in 1891, and it still holds true to this day.

Basketball rims are 10 feet or 3 meters tall for high schools and pro leagues like the NBA. For youth leagues, the hoop can be shorter than 10 feet. This is the standard for all playing levels from high school and up. Younger ages play with shorter rims to enable the players to reach the rim with their shots.

The regulation basketball rim height is set at 10 feet (305 cm) above the playing surface, a standard established by Dr. James Naismith in 1891 at a YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. Naismith chose this height by mounting the original peach baskets on a 10-foot-high railing available in the gym, balancing challenge and achievability for players.