Stats explained · USG%
Usage rate (USG%)
A play is “used” when it ends with the player: a shot, free throws that end the possession, or a turnover. Usage shows who carries the offence.
The formula
This is how NBA.com defines it: only free throw attempts that end a possession count, and the player's plays are divided by his team's possessions while he is on the floor.
Worked example
Example (made-up numbers)
18 shots, 4 possession-ending free throw attempts and 3 turnovers in 100 team possessions.
(18 + 4 + 3) ÷ 100 = 25%
An example for practice, not a real game. Old box scores cannot give a real one: players' turnovers have only been counted since 1977–781.
What it tells you
Role: a high usage means the offence runs through this player.
What it does not
Whether those plays went well. Pair it with TS% to see volume and efficiency together.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Turnover (basketball) (version of 9 September 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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