5 of The Most Unique College Basketball Courts

By Andrew Zurchen

The game of basketball has certainly evolved over the years in everything from the way it is played to the courts it is played on. If you were to watch some of the old NBA basketball games with Kareem Abdul Jabbar, you would see a hook shot that was virtually unguardable. Kareem’s hook shot made him famous, yet, is virtually never used in basketball anymore.

With regard to basketball courts, basketball has traditionally been a very traditional sport with very standard looking courts and arenas. In recent years, however, many basketball teams have become quite creative with the style and design of their courts.

Basketball Flooring

The old hardwood floors have really evolved over the years. Synthetic sports surfaces are another thing that illustrates how the game has changed. Several different types of surfaces are now popping up around the world. Perhaps one of the most biggest developments over the last few decades has to do with how college and NBA arenas have started painting their courts with eye catching designs. In this post, I want to highlight 5 of the more unique basketball court designs in college basketball.

1. Playing on the Beach at FIU. See It

The Huffington Post recently revealed the stunning basketball court design that Florida International University just introduced which features a beach and shore design that is really cool. The design stretches from one end of the court to the other. You feel as if you are watching a basketball game on the beach. According to Pete Garcia, the school's athletic director, his idea was motivated by the desire to provide home court advantage, attract recruits, and make money.

2. Boise State. See It

According to the bleacher report, Boise State has one of the most "painful" looking courts with the image of a bronco integrated in the three point shooting circle at both ends of the court. Whether it is beautiful or annoying is up to the personal opinion of the beholder. They have recently changed it since being added to the WAC.

3. Long Beach State. See It

Imagine playing on a court with palm trees painted on it, and in the middle of the court, a big banner with "The Beach" prominently displayed on it. Although it is beautiful, it tends to give a very relaxing, vacation type of a feel rather than a high intensity sports setting.

4. Oregon. See It

The design on Oregon’s court actually forces the viewer to squint, concentrate, and focus really hard before the reality of what one is seeing manifests itself. The skyline above the trees in the forest is the landscape on all four sides of the court which makes for an amazing design in the middle of the court. Various blends of yellow and white merge together to create a surreal look.

5. Notre Dame. See It

What would the Fighting Irish be without their famous clover leaf? Their court has a huge clover leaf smack dab in the middle to remind their opponents where they are. It is done very tastefully to reflect just how classy Fighting Irish basketball can be.

Posted contributed by Andrew Zurchen with Connor Sports – the basketball gym flooring specialists. Andrew loves reading and writing about anything basketball related. As his friends keep telling him though, he writes better than he plays.