How to Calculate Basketball Shooting Percentage: FG%, 3P% and eFG%
Calculate FG%, 3P%, FT% and effective field goal percentage with worked basketball examples. Avoid double-counting threes and averaging game percentages.
To calculate basketball shooting percentage, divide shots made by shots attempted, then multiply by 100. A player who makes 6 of 15 field goal attempts shoots 40%.
The useful part is knowing which shots belong in each calculation. Three-pointers count toward field goal percentage. Free throws do not. Effective field goal percentage adds another perspective by accounting for the extra point a made three earns.
The shooting-percentage formulas
Statistic — Calculation
Field goal percentage (FG%) — Field goals made ÷ field goals attempted × 100
Two-point percentage (2P%) — Two-pointers made ÷ two-pointers attempted × 100
Three-point percentage (3P%) — Three-pointers made ÷ three-pointers attempted × 100
Free throw percentage (FT%) — Free throws made ÷ free throws attempted × 100
Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) — (Field goals made + 0.5 × three-pointers made) ÷ field goals attempted × 100
These are separate views of shooting. Keep both makes and attempts: “four baskets” alone cannot tell you shooting percentage.
A complete worked example
Imagine a player finishes with:
Two-pointers: 5 made from 10 attempts.
Three-pointers: 2 made from 5 attempts.
Free throws: 3 made from 4 attempts.
The player made 7 field goals from 15 attempts. Their shooting splits are:
FG%: 7 ÷ 15 × 100 = 46.7%.
2P%: 5 ÷ 10 × 100 = 50.0%.
3P%: 2 ÷ 5 × 100 = 40.0%.
FT%: 3 ÷ 4 × 100 = 75.0%.
eFG%: (7 + 0.5 × 2) ÷ 15 × 100 = 53.3%.
The scoring check is 10 points from twos, 6 from threes and 3 from free throws: 19 points. The attempts at the foul line stay out of FG% and eFG%.
Why effective field goal percentage helps
Consider two fictional teams, each taking 40 field goal attempts. Team A makes 20 two-pointers for 40 points. Team B makes 10 two-pointers and 7 three-pointers for 41 points.
Team A shoots 50.0% from the field. Team B shoots 42.5%, yet scores one more point from those field goal attempts. Their eFG% figures are 50.0% and 51.25%, respectively.
That makes eFG% useful when comparing shooting outcomes across different mixes of twos and threes. It does not include free throws, turnovers or offensive rebounds. It also cannot tell you whether a shot was open or whether the shooter made a good decision.
Three mistakes that change the answer
Counting three-point attempts twice
A box score's FGA usually already includes three-point attempts. If a player has 15 FGA and 5 three-point attempts, the total is 15, not 20. A worksheet with separate 2PA and 3PA columns requires you to add those columns to get total FGA.
Averaging game percentages
Suppose a player shoots 1-for-2 in one game and 3-for-10 in the next. The combined percentage is 4 ÷ 12 = 33.3%. Averaging 50% and 30% would give 40%, which ignores the different numbers of attempts.
Add makes and attempts first. This applies to team totals and season statistics too.
Recording no attempts as a miss
A player with no attempts has no shooting percentage for that category. Use a dash or “no attempts” when presenting it. A player who goes 0-for-4 has a different result from one who never shoots.
What is a good shooting percentage for youth basketball?
A useful comparison considers age, competition, shot distance and opportunity. One target cannot describe every youth team. Start by comparing your team's results across several games under similar conditions, and keep the attempt count beside the percentage.
For example, 2-for-3 and 20-for-30 are both 66.7%. The second gives you much more shooting evidence. Use the numbers to decide what to watch and practise next, rather than treating one game as a final verdict.
Keep the inputs simple
Use the free printable basketball stat sheet to record makes and attempts, or follow the beginner statkeeping guide before your first game.
For tracking on iPhone or iPad, explore Elevate: Basketball Stats. Record the game, review player and team statistics, and check the available plans for PDF reporting and advanced analysis. The app is free to download and offers in-app purchases.