True shooting percentage, aka TS%, is a metric that factors a player’s or a team’s performance at the free-throw line and considers the efficiency of all types of shots. This NBA statistic helps us compare players with varying responsibilities and shooting abilites on the floor. A higher True Shooting Percentage generally indicates a more efficient scorer, while a lower percentage indicates a less efficient scorer, while other aspects such as shot selection and offensive role should also be taken into account when evaluating a player’s overall performance.
True Shooting Percentage (TS%) could be the clearest and easily measured metric that boils all three methods of scoring into one number.
True Shooting Percentage Formula
0.5*(Total Points)/[(Total Field Goal Attempts) + 0.44*(Total Free Throw Attempts)]Note that just like in all other tempo-free (adjusted for team pace and minutes played) NBA stats, the “0.44” multiplier estimates all free throws which take up possessions. As you know, technical free throws and ‘and 1’s do not take up possessions. If one player checks in the court and drills a 3P shot and doesn’t play for the rest of the game, then his TS% would reach a maximum, 150%.
Let’s look at some examples to better understand TS%, True Shooting Percentage:
- Stephen Curry: Throughout his career, Curry, widely recognized as one of the greatest shooters in NBA history, has consistently had high True Shooting Percentages. He is well-known for his three-point shooting prowess and ability to draw fouls. Curry had a True Shooting Percentage of 65.3% in the 2020-2021 season. This shows that he scored efficiently when all of his field goals, three-pointers, and free throws are considered.
- Rudy Gobert: The Utah Jazz’s powerful big primarily scores on close-range jumpers and dunks. He does not make many three-point attempts and is not a good free-throw shooter. His True Shooting Percentage, on the other hand, stays high due to his strong field goal percentage and limited free-throw attempts. Gobert posted a True Shooting Percentage of 68.4% in the 2020-2021 season, demonstrating his proficiency around the rim.
