What is the True Shooting Percentage Basketball Statistic?
True shooting percentage is a statistic introduced by the Association for Professional Basketball Research Metrics, widely used both in professional and amateur basketball leagues. Often abbreviated to TS or TS%, this basketball statistic is excellent if you want to precisely assess a basketball player's skill. In particular, it measures a single player's performance at shooting the ball.
Unlike basic shooting metrics such as field goal percentage, TS% accounts for the varying point values of 2-point shots, 3-point shots, and free throws — giving a complete picture of a player's scoring efficiency.
How to Use the TS Calculator
To determine your own or your favorite player's TS% using this true shooting calculator, follow these simple steps:
- Enter the total number of points scored by the player.
- Input the player's FGA (Field Goal Attempts) value.
- Input the player's FTA (Free Throw Attempts) value.
- Click Calculate — the TS calculator will instantly return the player's TS%.
How to Calculate True Shooting Percentage
If you want to give calculating true shooting percentage a go on your own, use the following formulas:
TS% = Points / (2 × TSA)
TSA = FGA + (0.44 × FTA)
Where TSA is the True Shooting Attempts.
Step-by-Step Example
Our hypothetical player has the following statistics:
- 1,295 points scored
- 850 Field Goal Attempts (FGA)
- 420 Free Throw Attempts (FTA)
Step 1: Calculate TSA
TSA = 850 + (0.44 × 420) = 850 + 184.8 = 1,034.8
Step 2: Calculate TS%
TS% = 1,295 / (2 × 1,034.8) = 1,295 / 2,069.6 = 0.6257 = 62.57%
This player's true shooting percentage is 62.57% — an elite-level score.
Glossary of Terms Used in the TS Calculator
- FGA – Field Goal Attempts
- A field goal is a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance from the basket. Both 2-point and 3-point field goal attempts count toward FGA.
- FTA – Free Throw Attempts
- A free throw is an unopposed attempt to score by shooting from behind the free throw line. Each successful free throw is worth one point.
- TSA – True Shooting Attempts
- TSA is a basketball statistic measured by adding the number of FGAs to the number of FTAs multiplied by 0.44. The constant 0.44 accounts for the fact that free throws are generally taken in pairs and represent roughly 44% of a possession's value.
- TS% – True Shooting Percentage
- The final efficiency metric, expressed as a percentage, that measures how efficiently a player converts scoring opportunities into points.
TS% Rating Scale
| TS% | Rating | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 60%+ | Elite | Top-tier NBA efficiency (e.g., Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant) |
| 55–59% | Good | Above-average NBA player |
| 50–54% | Average | League-average NBA efficiency (~55% in recent seasons) |
| <50% | Below Average | Below-average scoring efficiency |
Why is the True Shooting Percentage Useful?
Sports statistics can be of great help to players who want to get better. Knowing where you are is the key to improvement, and thanks to the true shooting percentage, a basketball player can assess their skills in a very precise way.
TS% is superior to plain field goal percentage because it:
- Accounts for the higher value of 3-point shots
- Incorporates free throw efficiency
- Provides a single, comparable number across all playing styles
From the perspective of a fan, it's also good to know your favorite player's shooting efficiency. Whether you're interested in sports analytics or simply want to compare players across different eras, the true shooting percentage gives you a precise and fair metric.
TS% Values of Professional Basketball Players
As a reference, here are some approximate TS% values for well-known NBA players during peak seasons:
- Stephen Curry — ~66–68% (elite 3-point shooter + free throws)
- Kevin Durant — ~63–65% (efficient mid-range and 3-point game)
- LeBron James — ~57–61% (versatile scoring, good free throw rate)
- Shaquille O'Neal — ~57–60% (high percentage inside, low free throw rate)
- League Average (NBA, recent seasons) — ~55–57%
More Resources on True Shooting Percentage and Other Basketball Statistics
Once you've mastered TS%, you may want to explore other advanced basketball metrics to get a comprehensive picture of player performance:
- Player Efficiency Rating (PER) — John Hollinger's all-in-one player rating
- Game Score — A quick measure of a player's performance in a single game
- Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) — Adjusts FG% for the extra value of 3-pointers
- Box Plus/Minus (BPM) — Estimates a player's contribution per 100 possessions
- Win Shares (WS) — Attributes wins to individual players based on performance