The 6 Best Portable Basketball Hoops and Systems for Any Yard or Driveway

Spalding makes a handful of portable goals, but the Momentous EZ is our favorite due to its value-driven price and ease of assembly. Spalding notes its takes about 30 minutes to put together. We found it took just over that time when following the instructions, which makes it the easiest goal to assemble in our book.

As Matthews notes, “The more portable a basketball hoop is the better, so that everyone can move it. That’s one reason I like the models from Spalding.”

As for the materials in the hoop, the Momentous EZ comes with an acrylic backboard in either 50 or 54-inch sizing. You can also choose between a clear view back, an H-frame, or a steel H-frame (for added support and durability). We chose the steel H-frame to help prevent backboard damage. The theory behind the H-frame is it should help absorb stress when someone dunks or hangs on the rim.

There’s a hand crank for adjusting the height of the goal (simple to use if you have kids or if you want to do a driveway dunk contest). The base is wide and supportive and will hold up to 26 gallons of water or sand. If you’re looking for a premium goal that won’t set you back a thousand dollars, there’s nothing better than this pick. Start here in your search. You won’t regret it.

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If you are looking for a portable goal that won’t break the bank, this top-selling $250 model is worth a look. It’s made to adjust to a wide range of height, from 4.8 feet to 10 feet. This means it appeals to everyone from small kids to adults. One cool idea you can do with this goal is you can lower it to its 4-foot setting and position it up against an in-ground pool—something other goals in this guide don’t have a low enough range to make it suitable for pool hoops.

The biggest qualm about this one is the polycarbonate backboard. It won’t last as long as acrylic, and you should expect a few good years out of it with a slight decline in bounce as it braves the changing of the seasons. One way to help preserve this goal, though, is to store it inside whenever possible to avoid weathering.

Lifetime is another brand that churns out long-lasting portable goals. This one is similar to the Spalding Momentous EZ with a wide acrylic backboard. The base is also just as sturdy as the Spalding EZ, and it has an ability to hold up to 35 gallons of water or sand. The downside of this goal to the Spalding EZ is it’s not as fast of a setup, so you do need to lock in for at least two hours to get it up.

The upside? That would be the 4 extra inches of backboard, the reinforced rim, and the hand crank adjustment. The rim is thicker and outfitted with steel springs, which makes it a lot more capable for handling dunks. The hand crank makes adjusting the goal from 7.5 feet to 10 feet smoother and easier than the turning hand crank on the Spalding EZ goal.

The Spalding has the easier setup and price, but Lifetime has a few premium features that will make competitive play more fun.

This model from IE Sports will help save you some cash while still providing decent play. Its made with a 44-inch polycarbonate backboard, which is great when it comes to saving money. The base and frame are similar in design to the Awii Sports option, so there’s no worries on durability here.

Like mentioned prior, we don’t really like the hand crank for adjusting the height; this goal has one. You’ve probably noticed the unique mini trampoline this goal comes with so you can pass the ball to yourself. We think it’s an awesome feature, as it maximizes solo practice by allowing you to work on passing and catch-and-shoot drills. Overall, this goal is reliable, well-priced, and comes with a fun feature.

Remember how fun mini hoops are? This goal takes mini hoops to a whole other level with an adjustable height pole (up to 7 feet) and a sturdy base. Sure you could buy a cheap sub-$100 full size goal for your kids to play with, but for a similar price you get a much better build and a whole lot of fun.

Position it up to your pool for water mini hoops. Bring it down to your basement or put it in the garage for winter mini hoops. You get the point.

The Huupe Mini Hoop is the perfect nostalgia pick for any guy, regardless of age. It is quite literally the most portable hoop on our list, with the ability to be tossed on any door. This smart hoop has a wide variety of virtual games you can enjoy. The hoop comes with some heft, namely from the technology, which allows you to test your shot against others online, or even watch your favorite streaming apps.

“I think that mini hoops like the Huupe are another great option for families that don’t have room in their garage or a driveway,” Matthews says. “It’s a great way to have kids to get energy out during the day, even when the weather is not ideal. They are easy to install, too.”

In any case, it’s easily installed using the classic over-the-door mount. You can also wall mount, but you need to buy those parts separately. There are special sensors throughout the device, which follow your shot as well as your distance from the hoop. This means it can reliably track your shot so you can get better after every game. One of our testers even said, “I enjoyed using this hoop to shoot around with my toddler daughter, and when I just wanted to play around a little bit by myself, it was awesome to get to watch the NBA playoffs on the screen as I shot.”

Meet the Expert

• Chris Matthews (aka Lethal Shooter) is a world-renowned shooting coach to NBA stars like Jaylen Brown, Dwight Howard, and Anthony Davis, and WNBA star Candice Parker.

What Size Backboard do I Need?

A regulation backboard is typically 48 inches tall by 72 inches wide. Most portable hoops have a 48-inch height, but there’s a variance on width. While 72-inches is fun to play on due to the full ability to shoot bank shots and layups, a driveway goal doesn’t need to be that wide.

Look to a 50-inch or 54-inch width. Anything under 50 is fine, however you will lose space to shoot bank shots and layups. The benefit to buying a goal with a smaller backboard, though, is you save money (they’re almost always cheaper).

How to Store a Basketball Goal

The easiest way to store a portable basketball goal is to lower the rim to its lowest setting, tarp it, then roll it into a garage or shed. Some basketball hoops can be disassembled (or at least partially disassembled) but that process can be pretty annoying. Make sure to drain any water from the base to avoid it freezing and expanding the plastic of the base.

Some of the high-end Spalding portable goals can partially disassemble for storage (not the Spalding EZ we recommend, though). You can take out bolts at the middle of the goal and the backboard will fold down, thus helping store in a garage or shed with a low ceiling.