Ranking College Basketball's Coolest Court Designs
Go to a game and you've got players, you've got cheerleaders, you've got dancers. You even have a mascot with a T-shirt cannon. As if all that stimulation isn't enough, some designers ensured that the actual playing surface is also visually appealing (maybe, in some cases, it's the only thing that is visually appealing about the on-court product).
Some universities employ the use of cartoonish graphic artistry. Some opt for an overlay look. Some are simple and tell it how it is. Ultimately, the ranking of the following court designs came down to subjectivity and personal preference for the purposes of this slideshow.
The reasoning for the placement of certain schools above others gets personal (just once), but beyond that, it also came down to successfully exhibiting a nice image to look at. In either case, don't overthink it.
Let's have some fun looking at some great college basketball court designs.
10. The University of Massachusetts
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I don't care. I'm a homer. I'm a UMass grad. I spent five years (don't judge) in Amherst. The Mullins Center has simple appeal. You could call this the house that John Calipari built (his squad was defeated in the Final Four by Rick Pitino's Kentucky Wildcats in 1996).
Without question, no debate, UMass' Sam the Minuteman is the best mascot. Presumably, he isn't painted on the wood because it would be categorically unfair for visiting teams.
He's got a musket strapped to his shoulder and is running after Paul Revere. He even has a pouch for fluids. Filled with water? Nah, it's gotta be corn whiskey. He's got Lexington and Concord on his mind.
If it wasn't for those whom Sam the Minuteman represents, we don't have a country.
There are a few courts of simple design on this list, and UMass leads that simple charge.
Minutemen out.
9. University of Connecticut
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If you squint, you may just be able to see the head of a husky. This is the simplest court on this list. To quote the great Bruce Lee, "One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always run to simplicity."
UConn's got two colors: navy blue and tan. The logo is neatly depicted and simple. You know why? Because the men's and women's teams put on such a great show year after year that the fans need little else to enjoy their time in Storrs.
8. University of Central Florida
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There's nothing too eye-popping here. This court would lend itself to some great black-and-white photography, for people who are still into that.
There's something pencil-sketchy about this court. It looks as if someone took the edge of No. 2 Ticonderoga and gently shaded in the middle.
It's not the most dynamic design, but it's a shade different than most. Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck.
7. San Jose State University
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There are Spartans everywhere across the United States, yet San Jose State has done something reminiscent of 300: It's got armored Spartans on the court.
It's a bit busy, but if you're a Spartan playing ball and you look down on the court and summon your inner King Leonidas, how can you not get fired up?
Just don't tell these Spartans how those Spartans ended up.
6. University of Notre Dame
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The Fighting Irish have got a good one here. The color scheme allows for varying elements to stand out while not creating an Oregonian LSD experience, fun as that may be for some of you in the crowd. Not judging.
There's nothing lucky about a three-leaf clover, but aside from Guinness, leprechauns and bar fights, is there anything more Irish than a clover?
Maybe the potato.
5. University of Colorado
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Picture a big buffalo below that American-sized American flag. The reason I call attention to this court has little to do with the buffalo itself. It has everything to do with geology, kind of.
The court also depicts the Rocky Mountains around the sidelines. It's a beautiful rendering of the outer landscape. Many of the best courts reflect their outside environment and geography.
This calls attention to the vast greatest and scope of America's greatest mountain range.
4. Florida International University
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FIU did something great with this court design.
It seamlessly incorporates the Panthers logo, which is tastefully done, and includes some added brushstrokes with the palm tree branches. Like a few of the courts on this list, it illustrates the surrounding geography well.
Don't you just want to go for a swim?
3. Indiana University
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Indiana.
This too is a simple design, and it pays homage to the state. It features a nice, crisp rendition of Indiana.
What college feels more Indiana than IU? Many of the bigger-name schools across the land have understated courts. These schools don't have to grab you by the shirt and yell, "Pay attention to the floor!"
Indiana is no exception (see also North Carolina).
2. George Washington University
9 of 10
George Washington University is simple in its color and logo scheme, which allows for a great depiction of D.C.'s iconic national buildings and monuments.
You get Pierre Charles L'Enfant's epically designed Capitol Building where our nation's leaders tirelessly...do...something.
But then you get a nice image of the White House and the Washington Monument, a great obelisk with a stone from every state in the union.
It's not flashy; it's just straight-up cool.
1. University of Texas at El Paso
10 of 10
Take my word on this one. There isn't one pick axe. There aren't two pick axes. There are three pick axes on the University of Texas at El Paso's basketball court.
Where some courts reflect the area's geography, UTEP gives a nod to miners—at least there's one school out there honoring the trade.
While this image is nice, this link will give you a better idea of what the court truly looks like. You'll agree it's the best in the country.
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