If you love shooting hoops but lack the space for a permanent playing area, then a portable basketball hoop is what you need. While some home basketball hoops must be permanently installed in the ground, a portable basketball hoop has a sturdy moveable base that lets you move it out of the way when you’ve finished your game.
With a number of portable basketball hoops to choose from, it’s not always easy to tell which one is for you, which is why we’ve compiled this guide to the 10 best portable basketball hoops on the market today.
Things to Take into Consideration
When looking for the perfect portable hoop, it’s worth thinking about the following points to be sure you get what you need:
- Height. A pro game hoop stands at an impressive 10 feet above the ground, but many home hoops are height-adjustable to be enjoyed by players of all ages, sizes and abilities. This great feature allows your players to grow and improve their game without needing a new hoop, but beware – some hoops are easier to adjust than others.
- Backboard Material. Probably not the first thing you think of, but the right backboard can make or break your game. Opaque acrylic backboards help beginners and intermediate players focus and score, but the material isn’t so strong. You’ll need something tougher if you’re serious about your game.
Polycarbonate is durable and strong, with a professional clear glass appearance but less bounce than acrylic or glass. Aggressive players should consider professional tempered glass backboards, with pro styling and the best rebound performance you can buy.
- Backboard Size. A bigger backboard equals more rebound space, which is important for playing unusual angles or shooting from further away. Smaller, 48-50” backboards work well for improvers, but 54” is more like it if your shooting is good. If you’re considering a portable basketball hoop, it’s likely you won’t have space for the regulation 72” backboard, but 60” will give you a real professional feel.
Top 10 Portable Basketball Hoops Ranking
| Picture | Name | Backboard | Price | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. Silverback NXT Portable Basketball Hoop | 50” Glass | $$$$ | 4.6 |
 | 2. Lifetime 90061 Portable Basketball System | 52” Shatterproof Acrylic | $$$ | 4.5 |
 | 3. Lifetime 71566 XL Height Adjustable Portable Basketball System | 50” Shatterproof Polycarbonate | $$ | 4.4 |
 | 4. Spalding NBA Hybrid Portable Basketball System | 54” Acrylic | $$$ | 4.3 |
 | 5. Lifetime 51550 Courtside Height Adjusable Portable Basketball System | 48” Shatterproof Polycarbonate | $$ | 4.2 |
 | 6. Lifetime 90061 Portable Basketball System | 52” Shatterproof Polycarbonate | $$$ | 4.1 |
 | 7. SKLZ Portable Basketball System | 50” Shatterproof Polycarbonate | $$ | 4.1 |
 | 8. Lifetime 1531 Portable Basketball System | 48” Shatterproof Polycarbonate | $$ | 4.0 |
 | 9. Spalding 66291 Pro Slam Portable Basketball System | 54” Acrylic | $$ | 3.6 |
 | 10. Spalding NBA Hercules Portable Basketball System | 50” Acrylic | $$$ | 3.1 |
Top 3 Best Portable Basketball Hoop Reviews
1. Silverback NXT Portable Basketball Hoop
The price may be scary, but the quality shows: this is one of the best portable hoops you can buy. The 50” tempered glass backboard is as close to pro as most backyards will ever see, and as big as most home players need. The polycarbonate backboard is tough and offers excellent rebound for more exciting play. Whether you’re shooting hoops on your own or battling it out in a 3 on 3 backyard game, you’ll find your skills challenged with every throw
The super-sturdy 25-gallon base features a four-strut z-frame pole mount for extra rigidity, but despite its solidity during play, its unusual multi-wheel base design gets this system top marks for portability before and after a game. The easy-to-use screw jack height adjustment system gives you room to grow, starting at a challenging 7.5’ and moving up to regulation 10’ for when you feel like a pro.
We think Silverback’s NXT is the best portable basketball hoop out there – if you’re serious about basketball, there’s so much to like.
2. Lifetime 90061 Portable Basketball System
With its bigger backboard and professional hoop height, this sturdy portable basketball hoop from Lifetime promises exciting play without the higher price tag. The 90061 is tough, sturdy and easy to assemble: you should be able to slam a few hoops in a couple of hours.
You’ll find the imposing 52” backboard makes this basketball system a great size for a smaller backyard: not too big for the space but still big enough for a pro-basketball feel. Despite being made from less-rigid acrylic, the Shatter Guard backboard is still plenty tough. The sleek and stylish steel frame and blow molded frame pad give you a solid backboard with the added advantage of a little more bounce than polycarbonate.
Designed for dunkers, you can drop a ball right into the net without harming yourself or bending the rim. The solid steel Slam-It pro rim with built-in bounce will move down when you score and bounce back to position afterwards. It’s solid and sturdy but still light to move around, while the easy-to-use 3-piece Power Lift Pole makes adjusting the height a piece of cake.
With its pro-arena looks and generous backboard, this is a great hoop for powerful players whose budget and back yard hold them back from the top of the range.
3. Lifetime 71566 XL
With the 71566XL, Lifetime have created a professional looking hoop with all the features needed for high-impact play. Height adjustable, you can easily lift the backboard from 7.5’ to the regulation 10’, increasing the height in 6” increments to keep challenging your dunking skills as your vertical game improves. With UV resistant graphics on a big-enough 50” arena-style clear backboard, this is a hoop to help you feel like a pro.
This is a sturdy basketball system, designed to withstand the weather and whatever you choose to throw at it, too. The solid steel Slam-It Rim, supported by impressive ½” braces, features compression springs that give way while you dunk and spring back unharmed. Don’t worry about the strength of your arm either, as the shatterproof polycarbonate backboard is almost impossible to break. It’s also rust resistant and comes with an all-weather net so no fear of ruining it if you leave it outside.
Reasonably priced considering its durability, strength and pro-player looks, the 71566XL is a great buy for up and coming home players who’d like room to improve.
