Key (basketball)

Common card · No. 417557

The key is a marked area on a basketball court surrounding the basket, where much of the game's action takes place. The key is officially referred to as the free throw lane by the National Basketball Association (NBA), the EuroLeague, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). It is referred to as the restricted area by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The key is also simply called the lane. The key consists of what is colloquially known as the circle and the post. The post, which overlaps with the bottom half of the circle, is also known as the lane or the paint. It can be considered a lane showing the path to the basket, and is usually painted in a distinctive color. The post is bounded by the baseline, the free-throw line, and two lane lines connecting free throw line and baseline. Dimensions of the key area have varied through...

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