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I love playing basketball, or even just shooting some hoops. But not every place has the right kind of space for a full sized basketball hoop. When that happens, grab the best mini basketball hoop you can find and still have fun!
Mini basketball hoops are great for small spaces or areas that really can’t support a full sized basketball hoop. They’re also super fun for indoor areas like family rooms, bedrooms, play rooms, and basements.
And of course, you can’t go wrong with a mini basketball hoop when it comes to entertaining kids! In fact, most mini hoops are the perfect size for younger kids to get their first introduction to the sport.
Who is a Mini Basketball Hoop for?
Even though they’re small, mini basketball hoops are great for kids, teens, and adults. While it’s not the same as practicing with a real basketball and full size (and height) hoop, it’s still a fun way to pass the time while working on hand-eye coordination.
They’re great to hang up in a bedroom (a bunch hang over the door!) and are great gift ideas for older kids and teens. Or hang one in your home office for some fun stress relief or something to do while you’re on a call.
If you’re buying for toddlers and younger kids then make sure to keep an eye on the type of mini basketball hoop you’re buying. Some of the over the door ones aren’t adjustable and they end up too tall for little kids.
Best Mini Basketball Hoop Options Mini Basketball Games
SKLZ Pro Mini Basketball Hoop
This mini basketball hoop’s rim is designed for slamming, which means you can play mini competitive games with it and not worry about breaking the hoop. It hangs over the door, so set up is super easy.
Buy on AmazonIf you want something unique, this hoop also comes in a glow in the dark version. And if mini is just a tiny bit too small there’s also an XL version that is still small enough to hang on a door.
Pros:
- Spring in the rim makes it more stable when dunking
- Easy to assemble and mounts right to the door
- Foam on the backboard prevents the hoop from scratching the door
Cons:
- Can be noisy and bounce against the wall, even with padding (consider adding extra padding or a towel behind it)
- Mini basketball that’s included is too heavy (both noisy and a risk of breaking things)
- Door may not shut properly depending on how much space you have between the door and the jam
MejorChoy Indoor Mini Basketball Hoop Set for Kids for Door
What makes this mini basketball hoop unique is that it has a digital scoreboard. It’s not amazingly accurate, but it is fun to have it keeping score nonetheless. Especially because it cheers for you. You’ll need 3 double A batteries for it to work, though.
Buy on AmazonAs for the hoop itself, this one is pretty good quality. The hoop has some give when you dunk or pull down on it so you don’t have to worry as much about it breaking. It installs over the door so you can pretty much put it anywhere.
Pros:
- Digital scoreboard tracks hoops and cheers for you
- Included balls are the perfect size and weight
- Easy to install over a door
Cons:
- Scoring isn’t always accurate
- Since it’s only secured at the top the basket can be a bit bouncy or wobbly
- Batteries don’t last long
AND1 Mini Basketball Hoop
I really like this hoop’s drip. Not only is the design on the backboard super cool, it also comes with two matching mini basketballs and a small pump. There’s not just one design option, either – you can pick whichever one you like best!
Buy on AmazonBesides looking cool, it’s a very well made set. It’s easy to assemble and gets hung up over the door. You could also put it on a closet door if you wanted to. The break away rim collapses when you slam dunk so you don’t need to worry about putting stress on the hoop while playing.
Pros:
- Comes in cool designs and colour options
- Well made with a durable design
- Included basketballs are matching colours and a good size/weight for the hoop
- Pre-assembled so no tools are required
Cons:
- Pump isn’t very good quality
- Could damage the door with frequent use
- Backboard is a bit flimsy (has a lot of give)
Franklin Sports Over The Door Basketball Hoop
Franklin Sports is a good brand overall, so it makes sense that their mini basketball hoop would also be high quality. This one has an LED scoreboard that keeps track of points while you play plus LED lights that illuminate the backboard.
Buy on AmazonAssembly is easy and installation is a breeze since it fits over most doors. It also comes with one ball (I wish it had two, personally) and a mini pump. Both are good quality.
Pros:
- Well made mini basketball hoop that will stand up to a lot of use
- LED lights and scoring are a fun extra
- Breakaway rim means it won’t break when dunked on
Cons:
- Noisy when you’re playing
- Backboard bounces during use because it’s only secured at the top, so you may want to add some adhesive (like double sided tape) to the bottom
- Batteries are required
NBA Forge Team Mini Hoop
I think this is probably the best mini basketball hoop for die hard NBA fans. The hoop itself is pretty standard, although it is Wilson brand which is typically associated with quality sports equipment. It’s heavy duty and designed for rough use.
Buy on AmazonWhat makes it unique, though, isn’t just the quality – it comes with stickers for all 30 NBA teams so you can customize it with your favourites. As a Canadian I vote for Raptors, but I’ll leave that choice up to you.
Pros:
- Customizable with stickers from 30 NBA teams
- Easily installs over the door
- Sturdy with a shatterproof backing
Cons:
- Might make the door hard to close because of the padding on the brackets
- Ball needs to be inflated before use (and it only has one ball)
- Assembly requires a screwdriver
What is the Best Mini Basketball Hoop?
There really are a lot of great options for the best mini basketball hoop out there, but which is the best one? It’s tough to choose, especially when they’re all very similar, but our choice is the Franklin Sports Over the Door Basketball Hoop.
This is our pick for a few reasons. First of all, it’s well made all around. The backplate is designed to be unbreakable, and the net has a durable spring with a “breakaway” feature so you can dunk on the mini hoop.
It also has more features than most of the other basketball hoops on this list. First of all, the digital score keeping is a nice touch. Especially if you’re practicing your skills and don’t want to keep track of score. And yes, it does work fairly well.
The LED lights are also a great extra feature. Playing in the dark can give this indoor game some new life, which is cool. Plus it makes the net cool hanging in your room when the lights are on.
Assembly is easy and you install it over the door. You might want to check the clearance before you buy, though – there’s ¾ of an inch of foam. If the space between the door and frame is tight it may make the door hard to close. Another option is to mount it to a closet door too.
One thing to keep in mind with any mini basketball hoop that goes over the door is that it will bounce. That happens because the hooks at the top are the only support and it doesn’t have anything anchoring the bottom.
There’s two things you can do about this. One is to add a bit of adhesive to the lower party (2 sided tape works well) or you could also mount it to the wall.
Besides the rattle, noise is also a concern. The net will be noisy banging against the door when the ball hits it, and hearing the ball bounce on the backplate can also be noisy.
Another thing to keep in mind is that this net requires batteries, and it might go through them quickly if you leave the LEDs on.
Best Mini Basketball Hoop – Conclusion
All of these mini basketball hoops will help you get your game on. They’re all made for indoors, and can be a great way for kids, teens, or even adults to have fun at home. Even if our pick for the best mini basketball hoop isn’t your favourite, all of the sets on this list will do the trick.
Whatever you choose, having a mini basketball hoop in your house (or giving one as a gift) is going to be a slam dunk move!