Whether or not this is actually the farthest basketball goal ever shot is difficult to determine, but it seems to be the farthest on record. Evan Sellers from The Legendary Shots throws the ball from the top of the Vulcan monument in Birmingham, Alabama. It travels some 205-228 feet through the air (vertical space included) and drops through the ring – nothing but net.
In case you are interested, here is the math:
Height: The platform is 134 feet above ground level, and the ball was released from about 6 feet above the platform. The goal was 10 feet high and was placed about 10 feet below the base of the statue, meaning the height from hoop to shooter was 140 feet.
Length: This is harder to tell, but we had a few people pace it off, and they came in at between 50 and 60 paces. The average person’s pace is about 3 feet, so the length of the shot is about 150-180 feet.
Direct distance: Since height^2 + length^2 = distance^2, the distance from the shooter’s hand to the hoop is about 205-228 feet.
—Thanks Dan!
