True Shooting % and Why It Replaced FG%

## The problem with field goal percentage Field goal percentage treats every made shot as equal and ignores free throws entirely. A player who scores primarily on mid-range twos looks identical in FG% to one who scores exclusively from the rim — despite the rim finisher being far more efficient. ## Introducing True Shooting % True Shooting % (TS%) accounts for the value of all scoring methods: **Formula:** Points / (2 x (Field Goal Attempts + 0.44 x Free Throw Attempts)) The 0.44 multiplier approximates the average number of possessions used per free throw trip. ## What good looks like - **League average TS%** typically falls between 55-57% in the NBA - **Elite scorers** post TS% above 60% - **Below 52%** is a significant drag on the offense ## Why it changed how teams evaluate players TS% revealed that mid-range jumpers were systematically underperforming compared to rim attempts and three-pointers. This data insight is the single biggest driver behind the modern NBA shift away from the mid-range game. ## Using it alongside volume TS% on low shot volume is less meaningful. A player who takes 3 shots per game at 65% TS% is not the same as one who takes 18 shots at 62%. Always read efficiency alongside usage rate.