Effective Field Goal Percentage Meaning in Basketball

In basketball, Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) is a statistic that adjusts a player’s shooting percentage to account for the fact that a three-pointer is worth more than a two-pointer.

While a traditional Field Goal Percentage (FG%) treats all made baskets the same, eFG% recognizes that a player who makes three-pointers provides more value to their team than a player who only makes two-pointers at the same rate.

Why It Matters

Imagine two players, Player A and Player B:

• Player A goes 4-for-10, and all their shots are 2-pointers. They score 8 points.
• Player B goes 4-for-10, and all their shots are 3-pointers. They score 12 points.

In a standard box score, both players have a 40% FG%. However, Player B was much more “effective” because they generated 4 more points on the same number of attempts. eFG% fixes this gap.

The Formula

To calculate eFG%, you give “bonus credit” for three-point shots. Since a three-pointer is worth 1.5 times as much as a two-pointer, the formula adds half of the made three-pointers to the total makes.

Key Takeaways

• Rewards the Deep Ball: It gives a more accurate picture of a shooter’s scoring efficiency.
• Ignores Free Throws: Unlike “True Shooting Percentage” (TS%), eFG% only looks at shots taken during live play.
• Higher is Better: Most elite NBA players aim for an eFG% above 55%.

By using eFG%, coaches and fans can see who actually puts the most points on the board per shot, rather than just who sees the ball go through the hoop most often.