🏆 Best Flooring for Indoor Basketball Courts

✅ Hard Maple Hardwood Flooring

Why it's the top pick:

• Used by NBA, NCAA, and FIBA — All pro and top-level college courts use hardwood.
• Hardness & Durability — With a Janka hardness of ~1450, maple handles high-impact play and foot traffic.
• Ideal Ball Bounce — Springy, consistent rebounds—critical for competitive gameplay.
• Shock Absorption & Injury Control — Especially with a sprung or keel subfloor, maple minimizes joint stress.
• Resurfacing Capabilities — Can be sanded and recoated multiple times, extending life by ​20–30+ years​.
• Aesthetic Appeal — Light, tight grain and glossy finish enhance court visuals and line accuracy.
• Sustainable Choice — North American maple is often sourced from certified forests.

⚠️ Alternatives (When Budget or Flexibility Matters)

• ​Engineered Wood​: Similar queue performance but slightly less durable and harder to resurface.
• ​PVC / Vinyl Sports Flooring​: Cost-effective and low-maintenance for multipurpose venues, but lacks maple’s bounce and lifespan.
• Rubber & Modular Tiles (indoor/outdoor): Soft and versatile, ideal for outdoor use or casual play—less performance for serious basketball.

🛠️ Conclusion Table

Verdict: For performance, safety, aesthetics, and longevity, 22 mm hard maple hardwood is still the gold standard for indoor basketball courts.