True Shooting Percentage Calculator

What is True Shooting Percentage?

True Shooting Percentage (TS%) is a basketball statistic that measures a player's scoring efficiency. Unlike traditional field goal percentage, TS% accounts for the value of free throws and three-point shots, providing a more complete picture of how efficiently a player scores.

Why TS% is Better Than Field Goal Percentage

Traditional field goal percentage only considers two-point and three-point shots, completely ignoring free throws. This can be misleading when comparing players who get to the free-throw line frequently versus those who don't.

A player shooting 50% from the field but rarely getting fouled might be less efficient than a player shooting 45% but converting many free throws.

How to Calculate True Shooting Percentage

$$\text{TS\%} = \frac{\text{PTS}}{2 \times (\text{FGA} + 0.44 \times \text{FTA})} \times 100$$

Where:

• PTS = Total Points Scored
• FGA = Field Goal Attempts
• FTA = Free Throw Attempts

The 0.44 factor adjusts for the fact that free throws are worth less than field goals and accounts for and-one situations.

Example Calculation

A player with 1500 points, 1200 FGA, and 400 FTA:

$$\begin{aligned} \text{TS\%} &= \frac{1500}{2 \times (1200 + 0.44 \times 400)} \times 100 \\[0.5em] &= \frac{1500}{2 \times (1200 + 176)} \times 100 \\[0.5em] &= \frac{1500}{2752} \times 100 \\[0.5em] &= 54.5\% \end{aligned}$$

What's a Good True Shooting Percentage?

TS%	Rating
Above 60%	Excellent
55% - 60%	Good
50% - 55%	Average
Below 50%	Inefficient

Context matters - a center scoring around the basket may have a higher TS% than a guard taking difficult shots.

Comparing Players

Player A: 1200 Points, 1000 FGA, 200 FTA

$$\text{TS\%} = \frac{1200}{2 \times (1000 + 88)} = 55.2\%$$

Player B: 1000 Points, 800 FGA, 300 FTA

$$\text{TS\%} = \frac{1000}{2 \times (800 + 132)} = 53.6\%$$

Player A is more efficient despite scoring more points.

Uses for True Shooting Percentage

1. Comparing Players - Compare efficiency across different playing styles
2. Tracking Improvement - Monitor a player's efficiency over time
3. Identifying Weaknesses - Low TS% may indicate poor shot selection
4. Team Strategy - Optimize offense around high-TS% players

Limitations

TS% doesn't account for:

• Assists - Creating shots for teammates
• Defense - Purely an offensive stat
• Shot Difficulty - Doesn't distinguish easy layups from contested jumpers

Conclusion

True Shooting Percentage is a powerful tool for evaluating scoring efficiency. By accounting for free throws and weighting shot attempts appropriately, it provides a more complete picture than traditional field goal percentage.