Effective FG %
A version of field goal percentage that counts a three as worth more than a two, because it is. It puts every shooter on the same efficiency scale, whatever their shot mix.
The pack lands around 55.1%. This season's leaders are out on their own:
- 1 Donta Hall Olympiacos 77.8%
- 2 Alan Dokossi Paris 71.7%
- 3 Izundu Ebuka Crvena Zvezda 71.3%
What Effective FG measures
Plain field goal percentage treats a made two and a made three as the same. They are not. A player hitting 40% from three scores more per shot than one hitting 40% from two. Effective field goal percentage fixes that by giving the three its extra weight. It is the first honest step beyond raw FG%.
How Effective FG is calculated
eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA
eFG%: Effective Field Goal Percentage / FGM: Field Goals Made / 3PM: Three-Pointers Made / FGA: Field Goal Attempts
The catch
It ignores free throws
A player who lives at the line and scores a lot of free points can have an ordinary effective field goal percentage while being one of the most efficient scorers on the team. This is a field goal number, not a full scoring number. For the complete picture, True Shooting is the better measure.
A high number can be shot selection, not skill
A team that only takes open threes and layups will post a better effective field goal percentage than one taking tough mid-range shots, even if its shooters are no better. The stat rewards good shot selection as much as pure shooting. Two players with the same number can have very different shot diets.
Seen in a game
Hapoel Tel Aviv led the EuroLeague in effective field goal percentage in 2025–26 at 57.6%, and did it the uncommon way, on two-pointers rather than a flood of threes. Their 58.9% on twos was second only to Olympiacos, and it carried the number even though they took a modest share of threes and hit 36.9% of them. Effective field goal percentage rewards good shots from anywhere. Hapoel simply found theirs closer to the rim.
Common questions
- What is effective field goal percentage?
Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) is a shooting number that gives proper credit for three-pointers, since a three is worth more than a two. It fixes the main flaw in plain field-goal percentage.
- How is effective field goal percentage calculated?
eFG% = (field goals made + 0.5 times three-pointers made) divided by field-goal attempts. The half-credit for made threes reflects that they are worth 50 percent more points.
- What is the difference between eFG% and true shooting percentage?
eFG% counts only two- and three-point shots. True shooting percentage goes one step further and also includes free throws, so it is the more complete measure of scoring efficiency.
