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Since I trust folks here about everything basketball, I'm hoping someone has some advice for buying a portable basketball hoop. My 7 year old twin girls are into basketball, and really want a hoop in the driveway. I don't want anything permanent as they might change their minds in two weeks, and decide to become ice skaters or sumo wrestlers.

So I need something that is adjustable down to 8', and not too expensive. I saw on bunch on Amazon and Walmart's website in the $150-$300 range that seemed OK. Mostly Lifetime and Spaulding models. Anyone have experience with these? I'm trying to figure out: (1) how painful assembly will be (looks pretty unpleasant), (2) how big of a backboard I should be looking at (anything below 50" seems pretty small, but what do I know), (3) does the base on all models have a drain (some comments on a Spaulding model said it didn't, which would make taking the water out a pain), (4) will it fit in my 10" garage, and (5) what else am I missing?

Thanks so much in advance for any advice.

You might look on Craigslist, maybe even FreeCycle. It seems like something where there are probably a decent number with out much use available.

what Verbal said - if you are patient and have the means to transport (you'll need a truck),
you can get one for free off CL.

Go ahead and fork over $400 for a nicer, permanent one with a glass backboard and install it yourself with some quickcrete and a pole digger. Even if your girls don't use it, it'll be something you can use and it doesn't look bad at all.

The base is usually filled with sand, not water.

Getting a used one is a good idea, thanks.

Nate - If I knew the kids were really going to use it for a long time, I would consider a permanent one (been looking at them, too). If I can get a cheap used one, and they remain into it, I'll make the move.

Dobro - I've seen people say the preference is for sand, but many seem to use water. I'm assuming sand makes it more stable, but can't be removed. I also assume water must be drained in winter to prevent freezing and expansion.

I think your instincts are right.
1 - It's fairly easy to set up but moving it is a bit involved. I was able to set up mine by myself in the driveway when I was 13 but it was a 2 man job to roll it out into the culdesac, putting it upright, and filling the base with water. It gets REALLY hard to move once you weight the base.

2 - Yeah, definitely go for the 50+ inch model over the 44- inch model, and always rectangular over the irregular half-circle-y shapes. It's not that you need the extra surface for bank shots but that the BIG rectangular acrylics are heftier and don't wobble or warp.

3 - I'm pretty sure they all come with a drain but if one didn't yeah, it'd be a problem. I think if you spring for a $250 model you're pretty safe. The difference between a $150 and $200 system is huge. The $150 models (at least as of 15ish years ago) didn't have hydraulic lift systems and you had to use a broomstick to ratchet it up and down, had cheap backboards that dented and had dead spots, didn't have large enough bases to anchor the hoop properly, and no springs under the rims so the rims got all bent, and had terrible rims to begin with. I'm really glad my dad decided to get the nicer model.

4 - It'd fit pretty easily into any 2-car garage and fit into a 1-car garage if it's not too cluttered but I would strongly caution you from planning on wheeling it in and out whenever you wanted to hoop. The water base is no joke heavy, and the hoop overall is really heavy and awkward even if your model has wheels. In total, the hoop weighs probably a good 250-300 lbs and the water weighs another 300 lbs.

If you're going for just a driveway hoop system and not putting it on the street, maybe you should look into the backboard-rim systems that you screw into the garage.

edit: I filled mine with water and never had a problem with it falling despite countless 9 foot dunk contests.

Pancakes - thanks! I have been thinking the slightly more expensive ones look much more stable, especially with shots off the backboard. Since this is (mostly) for the kids, I'm not too worried, but some of them looked like they sway a lot even on shots that only hit rim. And I wasn't planning to move it that often, but want to be able to put it in the garage during the winter.

Just buy The Spalding Beast.
Its the worth the $900 and will last forever.
My friend in Florida has one.

Always hated those things simply because the ball would die off the backboard. Made shooting bank shots so easy.