The basketball net is an important feature of the overall basketball stand, confirming that a basketball that has been scored after it has passed through the basketball hoop by bulging due to contact from said basketball. The basketball net hangs from the basketball hoop, which in turn is attached to the backboard at a height of 10ft from the ground in the professional game. There are also several kids and novelty basketball hoops avec basketball nets available, such as ones to go over waste bins or to attach to walls, backs of doors etc. These are often portable to allow the consumer to place around their house or workplace and add a bit of colour to a dull atmosphere.

When the game of basketball was first created, instead of using basketball nets they played with peach baskets. These baskets didn't have a hole in the bottom however, unlike the more modern basketball nets, which obviously proved extremely inefficient for all the players as they would have to try to retrieve the basketball from a 10ft high basket manually. Thus, in 1906 the first basketball nets were used, containing a hole in the bottom to allow the scored basketball to pass through automatically and keep the game flowing.

Basketball nets are available in a variety of colours, ranging from red, green, black and brown but are usually sold with the basket and backboard in a package. These can vary in price depending upon the manufacturer, the seriousness of the design and the size, from anywhere between £30 for kids/fun versions to over £100-£150.

More basketball equipment: Basketball Stand