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Want to play some basketball in your bedroom (or, if no one is looking, your office)? There are two different ways in which you can make a hoop of your own that can fit in any space. Both are relatively easy to do yourself.
Steps
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Obtain the necessary materials. Though you don't need much to create the basket, it will come together very quickly if you find all the parts before you start.[1] You will need:
- A wire hanger. It cannot be a partially metal hanger made substantially of wood or plastic.
- A large, flat piece of cardboard.
- The tape of your choosing. Marking tape may be the easiest to work with; duct tape would certainly make the hoop durable.
- Markers or paint.
- Scissors.
- String (optional).
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Bend the wire hanger into a circle. You do not even have to dismantle the hanger, but just reshape it into a hoop.Advertisement
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Bend the hook of the hanger so that it is at a 90-degree angle with the hoop. Do not cut away the hook, as it still can be of some use.
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Cut the cardboard to the size and shape of your liking. Standard high school, college, and NBA backboards are rectangular, if you are looking to replicate that appearance.
- Try to make sure the relative scare of the hoop and backboard seems reasonable. For comparative purposes, an NBA backboard is 6 feet wide, while the basket opening is 18 inches (1.5 feet). That means the basket width is 1/4 (or 25%) as wide.
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Decorate the hoop and backboard to your liking. Traditional hoops are painted red, but you can certainly customize it to fit whatever you desire. The backboards of most high schools, colleges, and all NBA franchises are now made of transparent glass; as there is no transparent cardboard, you can really be as creative as you want.
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Tape the hoop to the backboard. You can attach the hook (which you bent up earlier) to lower back side of the backboard. Make sure the rim is as close to the backboard as possible.
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Attach a net to the basketball rim (optional). You can make make a net out of string, or even out of twisted tape.
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Hang the completed basket to a wall or door. Masking tape will work well for this purpose, as it will not leave a sticky mess behind like duct tape would. There are two different taping methods you can employ.
- You can tape along the front perimeter of the backboard and extend the tape onto the wall to secure it.
- Alternatively, you can make tape hoops (by attaching a single piece of tape to itself, end-to-end with the sticky side out) and use these to attach the backboard to the selected surface.
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Obtain the necessary materials to make the hoop. You will only need:[2]
- Scissors.
- Paper (best if it is somewhat rigid).
- Tape
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Cut the paper into a perfect square. Any size will do, but obviously a small sheet of paper will make a small hoop.
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Fold the paper in half top-to-bottom, and then unfold it. You will create a crease that ends at the midpoint of the top and bottom sides.
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Then fold and unfold the paper again, this time left to right. Make sure that you make all of your folds in the same direction; in other words, do not make one fold toward you and the other fold away from you. All of the creases (including those in the next step) must leave an imprint on the paper point the same direction.
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Fold and unfold the paper along both diagonals. Make sure that each corner and the sides match up perfectly as you fold. The paper should now have four creases in it, and will almost take a pyramid shape if left to sit on its own. It will only come together correctly if all four of the creases meet at a single central point.
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Fold all four of the mid-side crease points together at once. Do not bend against the creases you created earlier. As you bend the four together, the diagonal creases will flow outward. The paper should appear to be a triangle if looked at from the side and a four-pointed star if viewed from above.
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Curt two adjacent tips of the paper toward each other to make a hoop. You may be able to get the hoop to maintain its shape just by flexing the paper (especially if the paper is rigid). If the paper will not maintain the hoop shape on its own, you can tape the tips together.
- The tip of the triangle or pyramid from earlier is now usually considered the top. As you fold the tips together you may note how easily they form a basket that opens wider toward the top.
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Attach the basket to a wall with tape. Again, masking tape usually works best.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I make an inside basketball?Community AnswerOne way is to take some socks and roll them into a ball. Other than that, you'll have to get pretty creative with it.
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QuestionCan you hook paper clips for a net?Community AnswerIf you can find a way to connect the paper clips, then yes. If you have string, then use it.
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QuestionCan I use cut up socks for a hoop?Community AnswerSure! Or you could use a plastic bag with a hole in the bottom.
Video
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About This Article
To make a basketball hoop from your room, all you need are some common household items. Take a wire hanger and bend it into a circle. Bend the hook part up so it’s at a 90° angle relative to the rest of the hoop. Cut a backboard out of a large piece of cardboard and decorate it however you like. Tape the hook part of the hanger to the backboard close to the bottom edge. If you want, you can make a net for the hoop out of string or twisted tape. Attach the backboard to your door or wall at whatever height you like using masking tape or double-sided tape. For more tips, including how to make an origami basketball hoop, read on!
Reader Success Stories
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"I am a big fan of basketball. I got selected for the school team this year. I want to play basketball but because I am just 11 years old my parents wont allow me to go to the basketball court, but thanks to this article I can play whenever I want to."..." more