Shooting Percentage Calculator – Unlock Your Basketball Efficiency Game

Shooting percentages aren’t just stats—they’re the truth serum of basketball. Whether you’re a casual player trying to improve your jumper or a coach analyzing team performance, understanding shooting accuracy goes far beyond just “makes and misses.” That’s where the Shooting Percentage Calculator comes into play.

This blog will break down what shooting percentages mean, how to calculate them (especially true shooting percentage and effective field goal percentage), and how a calculator can save you time while giving you insights that matter. So lace up your kicks and let’s dive in.

What is a Shooting Percentage Calculator?

A shooting percentage calculator is a tool that helps players, coaches, and analysts determine how efficiently someone scores in basketball. It takes into account basic stats like field goals made and attempted, but also incorporates deeper metrics like free throws and three-point shooting, depending on the type of percentage you’re measuring.

There are different types of shooting percentages used in basketball:

• Field Goal Percentage (FG%)

• Three-Point Percentage

• Free Throw Percentage

• Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%)

• True Shooting Percentage (TS%)

The calculator eliminates the manual work, letting you focus on analysis instead of formulas.

How is True Shooting Percentage Calculated?

The true shooting percentage calculator is a must-have if you want to assess a player’s scoring efficiency while factoring in all shot types—two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.

Formula for True Shooting Percentage (TS%):
TS% = Points Scored ÷ (2 × [Field Goal Attempts + 0.44 × Free Throw Attempts])

This formula adjusts for the value of three-pointers and the frequency of free throws, giving a fuller picture of scoring efficiency. The constant 0.44 is used to estimate how many free throws were part of shooting plays rather than technicals or and-ones.

Example:

If a player scores 25 points on 18 field goal attempts and 6 free throws:
TS% = 25 ÷ (2 × [18 + 0.44 × 6])
TS% ≈ 62.5%

That’s a pretty solid scoring night!

For a deeper explanation, the NBA’s official advanced stats guide offers a great breakdown of TS% and how it’s used in professional analytics.

How to Calculate True Shooting Percentage in Basketball

To calculate true shooting percentage in basketball, you’ll need three key stats from the player:

1. Total Points Scored

2. Field Goal Attempts (FGA)

3. Free Throw Attempts (FTA)

Once you have those, just plug them into the formula mentioned earlier—or use a TS calculator online. This can be done post-game, during analysis, or even mid-game if you’re tracking stats manually.

Some calculators even auto-fill values from game logs, making the process seamless for analysts or fantasy league managers.

Effective Field Goal Percentage vs True Shooting Percentage

Let’s clear up a common confusion. While true shooting percentage includes free throws, effective field goal percentage (eFG%) focuses only on field goals, adjusting for the higher value of three-pointers.

eFG% formula: 

eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA

If you’re wondering which is better—TS% or eFG%—it depends on what you’re analyzing:

• Use eFG% for shot selection and efficiency from the field

• Use TS% for overall scoring efficiency including trips to the line

This is why many coaches and analysts use both together for a complete picture.

You can experiment with both using calculators like the one available through Basketball Reference’s glossary, which outlines all key metrics including TS%, eFG%, and more.

Why Use a Shooting Percentage Calculator?

Even if you’re familiar with the formulas, doing it manually every time can be a pain—especially during games or tournaments. A true shooting percentage calculator helps by:

• Reducing manual errors

• Saving time on complex equations

• Providing instant insights on player performance

• Allowing comparisons between players

• Helping track improvement over time

It’s especially useful for basketball coaches who need real-time stats, fantasy basketball players managing rosters, or even content creators posting player breakdowns on social media.

Real-Life Example: Evaluating Performance with TS%

Imagine two players:

• Player A: 20 points on 15 FGA and 2 FTA

• Player B: 20 points on 12 FGA and 8 FTA

Without TS%, you’d think they performed equally. But once you calculate:

• Player A TS% ≈ 66.7%

• Player B TS% ≈ 75%

Player B was more efficient overall—something only true shooting helps highlight.

This becomes crucial when scouting players or making coaching decisions based on efficiency, not just scoring totals.

Additional Features of a Shooting Percentage Tool

A well-built shooting percentage calculator should let you toggle between:

• TS%, FG%, eFG%, and 3PT%

• Per game averages

• League-wide stat comparisons

• Historical performance over a season

Advanced versions may also let you export results to spreadsheets or integrate with stat tracking apps for ongoing analysis.

Conclusion – Score Smarter, Not Harder

Whether you’re analyzing an NBA star or your neighborhood rec league buddy, a shooting percentage calculator provides the tools to understand basketball beyond the scoreboard. From basic FG% to the deeper TS%, knowing how a player scores tells you more than how much they score.

With easy-to-use online calculators, you don’t need to memorize formulas or juggle spreadsheets. Just enter the numbers, get the result, and use it to make better decisions—on and off the court.