Basketball Shooting Percentages Explained: FG%, 3P%, and FT%
Three numbers tell you almost everything about how a player scores: field goal percentage, three point percentage, and free throw percentage. Each one is dead simple. It is makes divided by attempts. The trick is knowing what goes in each bucket, because field goals and threes overlap in a way that trips people up. Here is how the math works and what counts as good.
4 min read · Reviewed July 2026
Field goal percentage (FG%)
Field goal percentage is how often a player makes a shot from the floor. Every basket except a free throw is a field goal. That includes layups, mid-range jumpers, dunks, and yes, three pointers. Take the shots a player made, divide by the shots they took, and you have FG%.
This is the broadest shooting number. Because it lumps easy dunks in with long jumpers, a high FG% often means a player takes smart shots close to the rim. Around 45% or better is a good mark for most players.
FG% = Field Goals Made ÷ Field Goals Attempted
- ·Field Goals Made: every basket except free throws, including made threes
- ·Field Goals Attempted: every shot from the floor, including three point tries
A player hits 10 of 22 shots from the floor. FG% = 10 ÷ 22 = 0.455, or 45.5%. That clears the good bar.
Field goals include threes
This is the part that confuses people. A three pointer is a field goal. When a player drills a shot from behind the arc, it counts once toward field goals and again toward three pointers. The two stats are not separate piles of shots. Threes are a subset of field goals.
So if a player takes 22 shots and 8 of them are from deep, those 8 are already inside the 22. You do not add them on top. The three point line just carves out the long-range shots so you can measure them on their own.
Of that player's 10 made field goals, 3 were three pointers. Those 3 threes are part of the 10, not extra. Same with attempts: 8 of the 22 shots came from behind the arc.
Three point percentage (3P%)
Three point percentage isolates shots from behind the arc. Made threes divided by attempted threes. Because these are the longest shots on the floor, the bar is lower than FG%. A good three point shooter lands around 35% or better.
Do not judge a 3P% on a handful of attempts. A player who goes 2 for 3 in one game reads as 67%, which means nothing over a season. Statside applies a qualifying threshold on its leaderboards so hot streaks on tiny samples do not top the rankings.
3P% = Three Pointers Made ÷ Three Pointers Attempted
- ·Three Pointers Made: shots made from behind the three point line
- ·Three Pointers Attempted: shots taken from behind the three point line
The same player goes 3 for 8 from deep. 3P% = 3 ÷ 8 = 0.375, or 37.5%. Above the 35% good line.
Free throw percentage (FT%)
Free throws are the uncontested shots from the line after a foul. No defender, same distance every time. Because the conditions never change, this is the purest test of a shooter's touch, and the benchmark is the highest of the three. Around 75% or better is solid.
Free throws live in their own bucket. They are not field goals and they never count toward FG% or 3P%. A player can shoot a poor percentage from the floor and still be automatic at the line.
FT% = Free Throws Made ÷ Free Throws Attempted
- ·Free Throws Made: free throws that went in
- ·Free Throws Attempted: total free throws taken
Our player sinks 6 of 8 from the line. FT% = 6 ÷ 8 = 0.75, or 75%. Right on the good mark.
Reading the benchmarks together
Put the three numbers side by side and you get a shooting profile. Our example player finished at 45.5% from the floor, 37.5% from three, and 75% from the line. All three clear the good bar, so this is an efficient scorer across the board.
Rough targets to remember: FG% around 45% or better, 3P% around 35% or better, FT% around 75% or better. The bars drop as the shots get harder, which is why free throws demand the highest number and threes forgive the lowest. Statside computes all three live from box-score or play-by-play entry, so you see them update on a team's public page as the game moves.
Key takeaways
- Every shooting percentage is the same math: makes divided by attempts.
- Field goals include three pointers. A made three counts toward both FG and 3P totals, it is not a separate shot.
- Free throws stand alone and never count toward field goal or three point percentage.
- Rough good marks: FG% around 45%+, 3P% around 35%+, FT% around 75%+. The bar drops as shots get harder.
- Judge percentages on real volume. A great number on three attempts is noise, which is why leaderboards use qualifying thresholds.
Frequently asked
How do you calculate field goal percentage?
Divide field goals made by field goals attempted. A player who hits 10 of 22 shots from the floor has a FG% of 10 ÷ 22 = 0.455, or 45.5%. Field goals include every shot except free throws, threes included.
What is a good 3 point percentage?
Around 35% or better is a good three point percentage for most players. Because shots from behind the arc are the longest on the floor, the bar sits below field goal percentage. Anything consistently north of 40% on real volume is elite.
Do three pointers count as field goals?
Yes. A three pointer is a field goal, so a made three adds to both your field goals made and your three pointers made. The three point line just separates long-range shots so they can be measured on their own. Threes are a subset of field goals, not a separate pile.
Why is free throw percentage usually the highest of the three?
Free throws are uncontested shots from a fixed distance with no defender, so the conditions never change. That makes them the easiest shot to convert, which is why the good benchmark sits around 75%, higher than the marks for field goals or threes.