Effective Field Goal Percentage

Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) is an advanced shooting metric that adjusts traditional field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals are worth more than two-point field goals. The formula is: eFG% = (Field Goals Made + 0.5 × Three-Point Field Goals Made) / Field Goal Attempts. This simple but powerful adjustment provides a more accurate representation of shooting efficiency than conventional field goal percentage by recognizing that a 35% three-point shooter generates the same points per attempt (1.05 points) as a 52.5% two-point shooter. Effective Field Goal Percentage has become a cornerstone statistic in basketball analytics, influencing how teams evaluate players, design offensive systems, and make strategic decisions. The mathematical elegance of Effective Field Goal Percentage lies in its straightforward correction of traditional field goal percentage's main flaw. By adding half of a player's made three-pointers to their total field goals made before dividing by attempts, the formula effectively weights three-pointers as 1.5 times more valuable than two-pointers, which accurately reflects their 1.5:1 point ratio. This adjustment immediately reveals which players provide superior scoring efficiency regardless of shot location. A player shooting 45% from the field with mostly three-point attempts likely provides better scoring efficiency than a player shooting 50% from the field with mostly two-point attempts, and Effective Field Goal Percentage makes this distinction clear. Historically, Effective Field Goal Percentage emerged as basketball analytics developed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Early basketball statisticians recognized that traditional field goal percentage failed to distinguish between different shot values, creating misleading efficiency comparisons. Dean Oliver prominently featured Effective Field Goal Percentage in his seminal work "Basketball on Paper," published in 2004, which helped establish the metric as a fundamental component of modern basketball analysis. The NBA began officially tracking Effective Field Goal Percentage in its statistics in the 2000s, and the metric quickly gained acceptance among teams, analysts, and media as a superior alternative to traditional field goal percentage for evaluating shooting efficiency. The practical applications of Effective Field Goal Percentage extend throughout basketball operations and analysis. Teams use eFG% to evaluate player performance, compare offensive efficiency across different playing styles, identify shooting strengths and weaknesses, and optimize shot selection strategies. The metric proves particularly valuable when comparing players at different positions or with different offensive roles. A center shooting 55% from the field (mostly two-pointers) has an eFG% of approximately 55%, while a guard shooting 40% from the field on predominantly three-point attempts might have an eFG% of 55% or higher, revealing equivalent or superior efficiency despite the lower traditional field goal percentage. In modern NBA analytics, Effective Field Goal Percentage has influenced the dramatic increase in three-point shooting over the past two decades. Teams recognized through eFG% analysis that three-point shooting provides superior efficiency even at moderately lower conversion rates than two-point shots. This insight drove the analytical revolution that transformed offensive basketball, with teams like the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors building championship-caliber offenses around maximizing three-point attempts and shots at the rim while minimizing mid-range attempts. League-wide Effective Field Goal Percentage has increased from approximately 48% in the early 2000s to over 53% in recent seasons, reflecting both improved shooting and smarter shot selection. Elite shooters and efficient offensive players typically post Effective Field Goal Percentages significantly above league average. Three-point specialists who shoot high volumes from beyond the arc can achieve eFG% above 60% by converting threes at rates around 40% or higher. Players like Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Joe Harris have posted seasons with eFG% exceeding 60% while maintaining high shot volumes, demonstrating exceptional shooting efficiency. Centers and rim-running big men who shoot primarily at the basket often post the highest Effective Field Goal Percentages, sometimes exceeding 65-70% by converting layups and dunks at high rates. Versatile scorers who combine three-point shooting with efficient interior scoring can achieve eFG% in the 55-60% range while maintaining balanced shot distributions. The metric's limitations include its focus solely on field goal shooting without accounting for free throws, shot creation difficulty, or defensive attention. A role player shooting open catch-and-shoot attempts might post a higher eFG% than a primary scorer creating difficult shots against intense defensive pressure. Additionally, Effective Field Goal Percentage doesn't capture the value of drawing fouls and getting to the free throw line, which is why True Shooting Percentage (which includes free throws) is often used alongside eFG% for comprehensive efficiency evaluation. Despite these limitations, eFG% remains valuable for its specific focus on field goal efficiency and its simplicity of calculation and interpretation. Coaching strategies have evolved significantly based on insights from Effective Field Goal Percentage analysis. Modern offensive systems prioritize shot types that maximize eFG%: three-pointers, layups, and dunks. The mid-range shot, while still valuable in specific contexts, has been de-emphasized because it generates lower eFG% than three-pointers or shots at the rim. Coaches design plays and spacing concepts to create the highest eFG% shot attempts possible, using ball movement, player movement, and screening actions to generate open threes or clear paths to the basket. Defensive strategies similarly focus on minimizing opponents' eFG% by contesting three-pointers, protecting the rim, and forcing mid-range attempts. Player development programs increasingly emphasize improving Effective Field Goal Percentage through targeted skill work. Young players receive extensive three-point shooting instruction, recognizing that developing reliable three-point shooting significantly improves eFG% and overall offensive value. Big men work on finishing skills around the basket to maintain high eFG% on interior attempts. Guards and wings develop shot selection discipline, learning to pass up mid-range attempts in favor of three-pointers or drives to the rim that generate higher eFG%. This analytics-driven approach to skill development has produced generations of players more comfortable shooting threes and attacking the rim than previous eras. The analytical community has developed various applications and extensions of Effective Field Goal Percentage for specialized analysis. Defensive eFG% measures how efficiently opponents shoot against particular players or teams, providing insight into defensive effectiveness. Location-based eFG% breaks down efficiency by court area, revealing where players shoot most efficiently and where defenses allow the most efficient shots. Lineup-based eFG% analysis helps coaches optimize player combinations for maximum offensive efficiency. These variations extend the core concept of Effective Field Goal Percentage to provide more granular insights into performance. In contract negotiations and player valuation, Effective Field Goal Percentage serves as a key metric for assessing player worth. Players who combine high eFG% with high shot volumes command premium salaries, as they provide efficient scoring at scale. Three-point shooters with eFG% above 55% have become highly valued in the modern NBA, often receiving substantial contracts even if they provide limited contributions in other statistical categories. Conversely, players with low eFG% may see their market value diminished, particularly if they rely on high shot volumes to generate scoring. This analytical approach to valuation has shifted salary distributions toward efficient shooters and away from volume scorers with poor efficiency metrics. Historical analysis using Effective Field Goal Percentage has provided new perspectives on past eras and players. Analysts can now more accurately compare shooting efficiency across different eras by using eFG% to account for varying three-point attempt rates and shot distributions. Players from earlier NBA eras who shot efficiently from two-point range show impressive eFG% by historical standards, though modern players with heavy three-point volume often post higher eFG% due to shot selection advantages. This historical context helps analysts understand how the game has evolved and how playing styles have shifted toward more analytically sound shot selection. The relationship between team Effective Field Goal Percentage and winning has been extensively documented in basketball research. Teams that shoot more efficiently than opponents, as measured by eFG% differential, win more games with remarkable consistency. Championship teams almost universally post top-ten team eFG% and hold opponents to below-average eFG%, demonstrating the metric's importance to competitive success. This correlation has reinforced the emphasis on shooting efficiency in team building and strategy, as franchises recognize that improving eFG% represents one of the most direct paths to winning more games. The international basketball community has widely adopted Effective Field Goal Percentage as a standard metric across leagues and competitions worldwide. European leagues, Asian leagues, and FIBA competitions regularly report eFG% alongside traditional statistics, allowing for consistent player evaluation across different basketball ecosystems. This global standardization facilitates international player movement and scouting, as teams can compare shooting efficiency regardless of where players previously competed. The universal relevance of eFG% across different rules, playing styles, and competitive levels demonstrates the metric's fundamental importance to understanding basketball performance. Effective Field Goal Percentage's influence on basketball extends beyond professional levels to college, high school, and youth basketball. Coaches at all levels increasingly emphasize shot selection and efficiency metrics, teaching players to pursue high-eFG% attempts and avoid low-efficiency shots. This analytical approach to basketball education has changed how the game is taught and played, with younger generations developing shooting and decision-making skills optimized for efficiency rather than traditional shot distributions. The long-term impact of this shift will likely continue transforming basketball as analytics-informed players enter professional ranks with deeply ingrained efficiency-focused habits. The future of Effective Field Goal Percentage in basketball analytics remains secure as the metric continues providing clear, actionable insights into shooting efficiency. While more comprehensive metrics like True Shooting Percentage incorporate additional factors, eFG%'s specific focus on field goal efficiency and its calculation simplicity ensure continued widespread use. As basketball evolves and new shooting trends emerge, Effective Field Goal Percentage will remain a fundamental tool for understanding and evaluating offensive performance, maintaining its status as one of the most important statistics in modern basketball analysis.