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Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) is a simple but powerful shooting efficiency adjustment that gives three-point field goals 50% more credit than two-point field goals, reflecting their higher point value. Traditional field goal percentage treats every made shot equally — a three-pointer and a corner two are both 'made field goals' in the box score, even though one generates 50% more points for the team. This creates a massive distortion when comparing shooters with different shot profiles. In the era before the three-point line (pre-1979), field goal percentage was a perfectly adequate shooting metric. But once the three-point shot became a strategic weapon — reaching its current dominance in the 2010s with teams like the Golden State Warriors — field goal percentage became systematically misleading. A player shooting .420 on three-pointers and nothing else is actually generating more value per shot than a player shooting .600 on two-pointers, because .420 × 3 = 1.26 points per attempt versus .600 × 2 = 1.20 points per attempt. But traditional field goal percentage would show .420 as dramatically worse than .600. eFG% corrects for this by weighting three-pointers at 1.5 times the value of two-pointers. The formula yields a percentage on the same scale as FG% but directly comparable regardless of shot selection. The NBA league average eFG% has risen from roughly .470 in 2010 to approximately .545 in 2024, reflecting the dramatic shift toward three-point shooting that makes each field goal attempt more valuable on average. eFG% is used by coaches to evaluate shot selection, by front offices to compare shooters with different profiles, and by analysts to assess whether a player's three-point heavy style is genuinely efficient. Stephen Curry's best seasons produce eFG% above .650 — meaning his shot selection and efficiency combine to make each attempt worth 65 cents on the dollar compared to a layup's one dollar, with no extra possessions consumed. The metric's primary limitation is that it excludes free throws entirely, which is why True Shooting Percentage (TS%) is preferred when a complete scoring efficiency picture is needed. eFG% is ideal specifically for comparing field goal shooting efficiency across different styles.
eFG% = (FG + 0.5 × 3P) / FGA Where: FG = total field goals made (including threes); 3P = three-point field goals made; FGA = total field goal attempts; 0.5 = the additional half-credit for three-pointers (reflecting the extra point they generate). Worked example — Stephen Curry 2015-16: FG = 805, 3P = 402, FGA = 1598. eFG% = (805 + 0.5 × 402) / 1598 = (805 + 201) / 1598 = 1006 / 1598 = 0.630 (63.0%). Compare to traditional FG% = 805/1598 = .504. The 13-point gap between eFG% and FG% illustrates how much value Curry's three-point shooting adds above what FG% captures.
- 1Collect the player's field goals made, three-pointers made, and total field goal attempts for the desired time period.
- 2Multiply three-pointers made by 0.5 — this adds a half-point of extra credit for each three-pointer made, reflecting its additional point value relative to a two-pointer.
- 3Add that three-point bonus to the total field goals made to produce the 'effective' field goal count.
- 4Divide the effective field goal count by total field goal attempts to produce the eFG% decimal.
- 5Multiply by 100 if expressing as a percentage, or leave as a decimal for formula-based calculations.
- 6Compare against league average eFG% (approximately .545 in the modern NBA) and against position/role benchmarks — catch-and-shoot specialists typically lead in eFG% while high-usage primary creators show lower marks.
Curry's eFG% of 63% reflects how his historic three-point volume and percentage combined to make each shot attempt nearly as valuable as a dunk — the rarest combination of efficiency and volume in NBA history.
Thompson's elite eFG% reflects his identity as the most efficient high-volume catch-and-shoot scorer in Warriors history — spacing the floor at a level that made the Warriors' offense historically difficult to guard.
A player right at modern league average eFG% is producing acceptable shooting efficiency — making their shot attempts slightly profitable but not creating the kind of shooting advantage that separates elite offensive players.
A player heavily reliant on long two-point shots shows an eFG% below .500, meaning each shot attempt is generating less than a point on average — the reason modern analytics coaching strongly discourages mid-range heavy offensive systems.
Primary care physicians and internists use Effective Field Goal Pct during routine clinical assessments to screen patients, establish baselines for longitudinal monitoring, and identify individuals who may need referral to specialists for further diagnostic evaluation or therapeutic intervention.
Hospital clinical pharmacists apply Effective Field Goal Pct to verify drug dosing calculations, particularly for medications with narrow therapeutic indices like warfarin, aminoglycosides, and chemotherapy agents where patient-specific factors such as renal function and body weight critically affect safe dosing ranges.
Draft analysts use eFG% from college as a shooting indicator, particularly weighting it against three-point rate to identify prospects who can immediately contribute as spacing players at the NBA level.
Sports media analysts use team eFG% comparison as the primary in-game metric for diagnosing shooting struggles and advantages, identifying when a team's shot quality (not just make rate) is responsible for scoring differences.
Pediatric versus adult reference ranges
In practice, this edge case requires careful consideration because standard assumptions may not hold. When encountering this scenario in effective field goal pct calculations, practitioners should verify boundary conditions, check for division-by-zero risks, and consider whether the model's assumptions remain valid under these extreme conditions.
Pregnancy and hormonal variations
In practice, this edge case requires careful consideration because standard assumptions may not hold. When encountering this scenario in effective field goal pct calculations, practitioners should verify boundary conditions, check for division-by-zero risks, and consider whether the model's assumptions remain valid under these extreme conditions.
Extreme body composition
In practice, this edge case requires careful consideration because standard assumptions may not hold. When encountering this scenario in effective field goal pct calculations, practitioners should verify boundary conditions, check for division-by-zero risks, and consider whether the model's assumptions remain valid under these extreme conditions.
| eFG% Range | Category | Example Player | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| .650+ | All-Time Elite | S. Curry 2015-16 (.630) | Reserved for elite shooters with great selection |
| .600–.649 | Elite | K. Thompson career avg | All-NBA offensive efficiency territory |
| .575–.599 | Very Good | Average All-Star | Well above league average |
| .545–.574 | Above Average | Good starter | Positive offensive contributor |
| .520–.544 | Average | Typical backup | League average zone |
| .480–.519 | Below Average | Spot-up struggle | Mild offensive drag |
| Below .480 | Poor | Mid-range heavy ISO | Net-negative per-shot efficiency |
What is a good effective field goal percentage in the NBA?
Effective Field Goal Pct is a specialized calculation tool designed to help users compute and analyze key metrics in the health and medical domain. It takes specific numeric inputs — typically drawn from real-world data such as measurements, rates, or quantities — and applies a validated mathematical formula to produce actionable results. The tool is valuable because it eliminates manual calculation errors, provides instant feedback when exploring different scenarios, and serves as both a decision-support instrument for professionals and a learning aid for students studying the underlying principles.
What is the difference between eFG% and true shooting percentage?
Effective Field Goal Pct is a specialized calculation tool designed to help users compute and analyze key metrics in the health and medical domain. It takes specific numeric inputs — typically drawn from real-world data such as measurements, rates, or quantities — and applies a validated mathematical formula to produce actionable results. The tool is valuable because it eliminates manual calculation errors, provides instant feedback when exploring different scenarios, and serves as both a decision-support instrument for professionals and a learning aid for students studying the underlying principles.
Why did the NBA stop emphasizing field goal percentage?
Traditional FG% became misleading as three-point volume exploded in the 2010s. A team that shoots .440 from three exclusively has an eFG% of .660 — nearly impossible by traditional FG% — while a team shooting .600 exclusively on two-pointers has an eFG% of only .600. The two metrics give opposite rankings for these extremes.
Can a player with low FG% have high eFG%?
In the context of Effective Field Goal Pct, this depends on the specific inputs, assumptions, and goals of the user. The underlying formula provides a deterministic relationship between inputs and output, but real-world application requires interpreting the result within the broader context of health and medical practice. Professionals typically cross-reference calculator output with industry benchmarks, historical data, and regulatory requirements. For the most reliable results, ensure inputs are sourced from verified data, understand which assumptions the formula makes, and consider running multiple scenarios to bracket the range of likely outcomes.
Who has the highest eFG% in NBA history for a full season?
In the context of Effective Field Goal Pct, this depends on the specific inputs, assumptions, and goals of the user. The underlying formula provides a deterministic relationship between inputs and output, but real-world application requires interpreting the result within the broader context of health and medical practice. Professionals typically cross-reference calculator output with industry benchmarks, historical data, and regulatory requirements. For the most reliable results, ensure inputs are sourced from verified data, understand which assumptions the formula makes, and consider running multiple scenarios to bracket the range of likely outcomes.
Does eFG% penalize players who don't shoot threes?
Not exactly — eFG% is neutral between shot types at the same points-per-attempt level. A player shooting .667 on two-pointers (1.33 points per attempt) and a player shooting .444 on three-pointers (1.33 points per attempt) would have identical eFG%. The metric rewards value equally regardless of where the shot comes from.
How does eFG% relate to team offensive rating?
In the context of Effective Field Goal Pct, this depends on the specific inputs, assumptions, and goals of the user. The underlying formula provides a deterministic relationship between inputs and output, but real-world application requires interpreting the result within the broader context of health and medical practice. Professionals typically cross-reference calculator output with industry benchmarks, historical data, and regulatory requirements. For the most reliable results, ensure inputs are sourced from verified data, understand which assumptions the formula makes, and consider running multiple scenarios to bracket the range of likely outcomes.
Pro Tip
When evaluating a player's shooting efficiency in the context of a trade or free agent acquisition, calculate both eFG% and TS% and compare them. If eFG% is significantly lower than TS%, the player depends heavily on free throw volume for their efficiency — and free throw rates are often the first thing to drop in a new system. A player whose eFG% is already high will maintain efficiency even if their role changes.
Did you know?
The entire NBA's average eFG% increased from .490 in 2013 to .545 in 2024 — a jump of 5.5 percentage points in just 11 years driven almost entirely by the three-point revolution. This means the average NBA shot attempt in 2024 generates approximately 6% more points than the same attempt did in 2013, largely because teams shifted from mid-range twos to corner threes.