Calculate Effective Field Goal Percentage, the basketball metric that adjusts shooting efficiency to account for three-point shots being worth 50% more than two-pointers.
Last updated: March 2026 | By Software Calculator Team
Total shots made (2s + 3s)
Total shots attempted
Three-point shots made
| eFG% Range | Rating | Context | Career Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60%+ | Elite | All-time great | LeBron, Durant |
| 55-59% | Excellent | MVP candidate | Curry, Embiid |
| 50-54% | Good | All-Star caliber | Tatum, Adebayo |
| 45-49% | Average | NBA median | League avg ~47% |
| 40-44% | Below Average | Bench player | Limited role |
| <40% | Poor | Inefficient shooter | Needs improvement |
Note: eFG% accounts for 3-point value. NBA average: ~47%. Compare with league average for your era (rates vary by year).
Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) is an advanced basketball statistic that measures shooting efficiency while accounting for the fact that three-point field goals are worth 50% more than two-point field goals. It provides a more accurate picture of a player's shooting value than traditional field goal percentage.
Regular FG% treats all made shots equally: going 5-for-10 on two-pointers (10 points) looks the same as going 5-for-10 on three-pointers (15 points)—both show 50% FG%. eFG% corrects this by giving three-pointers a 1.5× weight, so the three-point shooter's eFG% becomes 75% while the two-point shooter stays at 50%.
This metric is crucial in modern basketball where three-point shooting has become increasingly important. NBA teams and analysts use eFG% to evaluate shooting performance, compare players, and inform strategic decisions about shot selection. A league-average eFG% in the NBA is typically around 53-54%.
The 0.5 multiplier represents the 50% bonus value of a three-pointer compared to a two-pointer. Each made three-pointer counts as 1.5 made shots in the calculation:
Elite (Top 10%)
60%+
Excellent
55-60%
Good (Above Avg)
50-55%
Average
45-50%
A player shoots 12-for-20 with 5 three-pointers made:
eFG% = 72.5% (Elite efficiency!)
The +12.5% boost from 60.0% FG% to 72.5% eFG% reflects the true value of making 5 three-pointers. This player scored 29 points on 20 shots (1.45 points per attempt), which eFG% captures better than raw FG%.
Yes, for evaluating shooting efficiency. eFG% accounts for three-pointers being worth more, giving a truer picture of scoring value. A player shooting 45% on all threes (1.35 points/shot) is more efficient than one shooting 50% on all twos (1.00 points/shot), and eFG% reflects this.
No, eFG% only measures field goal shooting. For a complete shooting metric that includes free throws, use True Shooting Percentage (TS%), which accounts for points from FGs, 3PTs, and FTs.
NBA league average is ~53-54%. Above 57% is very good, 60%+ is elite. The best shooters and interior scorers reach 62-65%. Centers who only take layups/dunks can exceed 70%, while high-volume three-point shooters at 55%+ are elite.
No. The maximum eFG% is 150%, achieved by making 100% of attempts with all shots being three-pointers: (FGM + 0.5×FGM)/FGA = 1.5×100% = 150%. In practice, elite players rarely exceed 70%.
eFG% is used because it's scaled similarly to regular FG%, making it intuitive for comparison. Both range from 0-100%+ with ~50% being average. Points per shot (0-3 scale) works too but is less familiar to basketball audiences.
eFG% doesn't account for shot difficulty, defensive pressure, or shot creation ability. A player hitting wide-open threes has the same eFG% as one hitting contested shots. Context matters when comparing players with similar eFG%.
Higher volume (more shots) usually decreases eFG% because players take more difficult shots. A role player shooting 5 open threes per game at 65% eFG% isn't comparable to a star taking 20 contested shots at 55% eFG%. Elite scorers maintain high eFG% despite volume.
This is the 'Moreyball' strategy popularized by analytics. Threes (3 points) and layups (high % twos) have better expected value than mid-range shots. However, some mid-range shots are still valuable for spacing, clock management, and exploiting defensive weaknesses.
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