Quick Answer: Installing an in-ground basketball hoop means digging a hole roughly 24 inches deep and 16-18 inches wide, setting the anchor bolts or ground sleeve in concrete, and letting it cure for 3-4 days before raising the pole (and a full 28 days before hard play). Most owners finish the dig-and-pour in a weekend and hang the backboard the following weekend once the concrete has set. The two mistakes that ruin an install are skipping the plumb check while the concrete is wet and raising the pole before the cure window is up.
An in-ground hoop is a one-time job — get the footing wrong and you’re either living with a lean or breaking out a jackhammer. The process is the same across brands (Goalrilla, Goalsetter, Silverback, Lifetime), because they all anchor into a concrete footing; only the anchor hardware and pole gauge differ. Here’s the full walkthrough.
What you’ll need
| Item | Why you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Post-hole digger or gas auger | Digs the 24" x 16-18" footing hole | $40-$120 rental |
| 8-10 bags of concrete mix | Fills the hole around the anchor | ~$50-$70 |
| 4-ft level | Keeps the anchor and pole plumb while curing | $15-$30 |
| Wheelbarrow + mixing hoe | Mixes concrete on site | $40-$80 |
| A helper | Holds the pole steady during the pour and raise | — |
Step 1: Dig the footing hole
Most premium residential systems specify a hole around 24 inches deep and 16-18 inches wide — check your manual, since taller poles (Goalrilla’s 60-and 72-inch systems, for example) sometimes call for a deeper footing. Keep the sides of the hole as straight as possible; a wider hole at the bottom (a slight bell shape) actually helps resist frost heave in colder climates. Setting up a new hoop and want the extra hardware on hand? Try Amazon Prime free for 30 days and get replacement nets, a backboard pad, and a fresh ball shipped in two days.
Step 2: Set the anchor and check plumb
Lower the ground sleeve or anchor bolts into the hole per your system’s hardware — Goalsetter’s bolt-together anchor and Goalrilla’s welded J-bolt cage both work the same way in principle. Before you pour, dry-fit the pole or a length of PVC pipe into the anchor and check it’s plumb on two adjacent sides with a level. This is the step people skip, and it’s the one that causes a permanent lean.
Step 3: Pour and cure
Mix and pour the concrete, then recheck plumb every few minutes for the first 30 minutes as the mix begins to set — it shifts more than you’d expect. According to the Portland Cement Association, standard concrete reaches roughly 70% of its rated strength within the first week but doesn’t fully cure for about 28 days. Most manufacturers say it’s safe to raise the pole and hang the backboard after 3-4 days, but hold off on hard dunking or heavy play until the full cure window has passed.
Step 4: Raise the pole and hang the backboard
Once the concrete has set enough to bear weight (per your manual, usually the 3-4 day mark), raise the pole into the anchor and torque the mounting bolts evenly in a cross pattern rather than one at a time — this keeps the backboard bracket from sitting crooked. Attach the backboard, rim, and net last, and give every bolt a final check after the first week of play once the hardware has settled.
Common installation mistakes
- Skipping the plumb check on wet concrete — the single biggest cause of a leaning pole; check it repeatedly, not just once.
- Playing on it too soon — hanging the board at day 3 is usually fine, but hard dunking before the 28-day full cure can crack a young footing.
- Digging a hole that’s too narrow — a footing that’s too small for the pole diameter won’t resist wind and play loads long-term; match the manual’s spec, don’t estimate.
- Under-tightening backboard bolts — a loose backboard bracket vibrates loose faster under repeated rim contact; re-torque after the first week.
The bottom line
A proper in-ground install comes down to two numbers: a roughly 24-inch-deep footing and a 3-4 day cure before you raise the pole (28 days before hard play). Get the plumb check right while the concrete is wet and the rest of the job is straightforward weekend work. If you haven’t picked a hoop yet, see our picks for the best in-ground basketball hoop of 2026, or our driveway-specific picks if space and overhang are the deciding factor.