Are these rules my child's league has to follow?
Guideline- USA
- USA Basketball
- NBA
- Youth recreation
- Under 10
- Ages 7-8
- Ages 9-11
- 2018 guidelines
- Parents
No. They are recommendations, not rules every league must follow.
- USA Basketball (the national governing body) and the NBA released these age-appropriate rules and standards for youth basketball in 2018, following health and wellness guidelines in 2016. They are still the current version.
- USA Basketball and the NBA use them at all events they host. Other leagues, YMCAs, schools and clubs choose whether to adopt them.
- Where the guidelines don't cover something, they recommend following official FIBA rules.
- USA Basketball acknowledges that some facilities can't lower baskets, redraw lines or run a shot clock, so leagues may adapt.
If your league follows these guidelines, the answers in this FAQ describe how your child's games should look.
Added 21 Oct 2026