Stats explained · TS%
True shooting percentage (TS%)
Field goal percentage treats every shot the same. True shooting percentage adds the extra point of a three and the free throws, so it shows how much a player scores per shooting chance.
The formula
The 0.44 turns free throw attempts into “shooting chances”: not every free throw is a whole possession (and-ones, three-shot fouls). This is the formula used in the NBA.1
Worked example
Wilt Chamberlain, 2 March 1962
100 points, 63 field goal attempts, 32 free throw attempts2.
100 ÷ (2 × (63 + 0.44 × 32)) = 100 ÷ 154.16 = 64.9%
Bam Adebayo, 10 March 2026
83 points, 43 field goal attempts, 43 free throw attempts3.
83 ÷ (2 × (43 + 0.44 × 43)) = 83 ÷ 123.84 = 67.0%
Adebayo scored 17 fewer points but got slightly more out of each shooting chance.
One game, both teams: 2 March 1962
| Player or team | TS% | PTS ÷ (2 × (FGA + 0.44 × FTA)) |
|---|---|---|
| Wilt Chamberlain | 64.9%2 | 100 ÷ (2 × (63 + 0.44 × 32)) |
| Philadelphia Warriors | 61.3%2 | 169 ÷ (2 × (115 + 0.44 × 52)) |
| New York Knicks | 54.0%2 | 147 ÷ (2 × (118 + 0.44 × 41)) |
Our calculation from the box score of both teams in Wikipedia's article on the game. The Warriors' other players together: 69 ÷ (2 × (52 + 0.44 × 20)) = 56.7%.
What it tells you
Scoring efficiency in one number, for players who shoot many threes or get to the line a lot.
What it does not
Nothing about passing, defence or rebounds. It also says nothing about how hard the shots were.
Calculator
True shooting % calculator
Sources
- Wikipedia: True shooting percentage (version of 14 June 2026), CC BY-SA 4.0 checked 21 October 2026
- Wikipedia: Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game (version of 13 August 2026), CC BY-SA 4.0 checked 21 October 2026
- Wikipedia: List of NBA single-game scoring leaders (version of 13 October 2026), CC BY-SA 4.0 checked 21 October 2026
Checked on 20 October 2026, unless a source has its own date. Wikipedia content is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; we take single numbers and facts from the versions linked above and say where a number is our own calculation. Spotted a mistake or a record that fell? Write to hello@boxscorestories.com.
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