All outdoor basketball hoops are not created equal – and that can actually be a good thing! It means you can find a basketball hoop with the right combination of features to meet your unique needs.

For example, an Adjustable Basketball Hoop gives you the ability to easily raise or lower the backboard (no tools required) so players of all ages, heights, and skill levels can easily play on the same system.

As a parent, I highly recommend buying an adjustable basketball hoop because it can “grow” with your child. My teen son raises the hoop to full height when he plays, and lowers it back down for our younger kids. 

I also recommend choosing one of the Lifetime brand basketball hoops. My family has had a Lifetime portable basketball hoop for several years. It has held up amazingly well through all the neighborhood kids use plus every kind of weather condition. We even moved it across town with us! 

What to do BEFORE you buy an outdoor basketball hoop:

Before you buy outdoor basketball hoops, decide where you will place your basketball hoop. This will help you narrow down if you want a Portable Basketball Hoop, an Inground Basketball Hoops, or a Wall/Roof Mount.

Each type of outdoor basketball hoops is defined below, along with our Slam Dunk picks for the best hoop system from each category. Click on the photos to learn more and/or buy at Amazon.

Type #1: Portable Basketball Hoops are a popular choice for most driveways. Easy to set up, portable hoops have wheel systems to help them move around. The base is filled with water or sand to provide stability. You do not use cement with this type of basketball system. 

Best Portable Basketball Hoops:

An over-sized, 52-inch shatterproof backboard makes the Lifetime Portable All Weather Basketball System a durable pick. It’s easy to adjust the height from 7.5 feet to 10 feet. Reviewers rave about the this Basketball System’s stability and quality construction. The rim is made for dunking! This hoop may cost more than our budget pick (below), but the quality will not disappoint.

Ballers on a budget can’t go wrong with the Lifetime 1269 Pro Court Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System. Features a 44-inch Shatterproof Fusion Backboard constructed of High Density Polyethylene for superior strength and durability. The telescoping height adjustment mechanism easily adjusts from 7.5 to 10 feet. Weather resistant. Reviewers are pleased to get a sturdy product at this price point.

Type #2: Inground Basketball Hoops are a great option for larger driveways, designated court areas, and high intensity players. They take up less space than a portable basketball hoop because instead of having a base, inground basketball hoops are installed in cement. This also means inground basketball hoops are permanently placed once the concrete has set, unless you use a “ground sleeve.”

Best Inground Basketball Hoops

This Lifetime Inground Basketball Hoop has all the best features:

54 inch Shatterproof Backboard, Adjustable from 7.5 to 10 feet, Slam-It Pro® Rim for dunking, and Powder-coated Steel Pole. Universally loved by reviewers! One owner review sums it up, saying, “It’s sturdy, can take a lot of dunking, hanging, swinging, etc without any bending of the rim. It looks as good and works as good as the day we purchased it.”

Feel like you’re in the NBA playing on this 60-inch, adjustable height hoop with pro style breakaway rim by Silverback. The concrete anchor system keeps it strong and sturdy, plus the ability to unbolt the system and take it with you if you move! A bit of a splurge, reviewers highly recommend this hoop based on looks and stellar performance.

Type #3: Wall/Roof Mount Basketball Hoops consist of the backboard and rim only. A nice option when you are tight on space. These hoops can be installed on a wall or over a roof, or they can be used to replace worn out backboards on existing poles. 

Best Wall/Roof Mount Basketball Hoops

Lifetime’s Backboard and Rim Combo Set with Steel-Framed Shatterproof Backboard and Slam-It Pro® Rim is a great option for any home. This one is solid, easy to install, and can turn your house into the place to play basketball in no time.

 

Go big with this gymasium quality basketball system by Goalsetter. It’s got a regulation size backboard (72″ by 42″) and easy adjustable rim height from 6 feet to 10 feet. Suitable for mounting indoors or outdoors. Most definitely a splurge, you’ll be tempted to buy it when you read the rave all the 5 star reviews: Love it! First class! Amazing! 

Let me know which one of the outdoor basketball hoops works best for you! Do you already have one of them at home? Let us know what you like (or don’t) about it.