Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) Explained
A made three is worth 50% more than a made two, but plain field goal percentage treats them identically. Effective field goal percentage corrects that with one small tweak.
The eFG% formula
eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA
You take field goals made, add half of your made threes (to credit the extra point each is worth), and divide by total field goal attempts. Free throws are not included — that is the job of true shooting percentage.
A worked example
A player hits 9 of 17 shots, including 4 made threes:
- Raw FG% = 9 ÷ 17 = 52.9%
- eFG% = (9 + 0.5 × 4) ÷ 17 = 11 ÷ 17 = 64.7%
Those four threes make the shooting far more valuable than the raw 52.9% suggests, and eFG% captures it.
Why it matters
eFG% lets you fairly compare a high-volume three-point shooter with a player who lives at the rim. Two players at 45% field goal can have very different eFG% if one shoots and makes more threes — and the higher-eFG% player is producing more points per shot.
eFG% and TS% together
Use eFG% to judge shooting from the field, and true shooting percentage when you also want free throws in the picture. TS% is the more complete number; eFG% is the cleaner look at pure field-goal efficiency.
The Basketball Shooting Percentage Calculator computes eFG%, TS%, and every basic percentage from a single box score.
What is effective field goal percentage?
Effective field goal percentage adjusts FG% to credit the extra point a made three is worth: (FGM + 0.5 times 3PM) divided by FGA. It reflects that a three is worth 50% more than a two.
What is a good eFG%?
Around 50% is roughly average, and anything above is efficient. Elite shooters and rim-heavy scorers can push well into the 50s and 60s.
What is the difference between eFG% and TS%?
Both credit the extra point on a three. eFG% only looks at field goals, while true shooting percentage also includes free throws, making TS% the more complete efficiency measure.