Average NBA Field Goal Percentage: 47.1% in 2025–26
NBA teams shot 47.1% in 2025–26. See recent league averages, how FG% is calculated, and why shot selection matters when judging a player.
The NBA’s league-average field goal percentage was 47.1% in the 2025–26 regular season, the latest completed season as of October 14, 2026. That means teams made roughly 47 of every 100 field-goal attempts. For a quick modern benchmark, think about 47%, rather than 50%. Basketball-Reference’s league averages and StatMuse’s league totals both report 47.1%.
That is an all-field-goals benchmark—not a universal standard for every player. A guard taking many three-pointers and a center finishing near the basket have different shot mixes, so their overall percentages need context.
What field goal percentage measures
Field goal percentage, abbreviated FG%, measures the share of recorded field-goal attempts that go in:
FG% = field goals made ÷ field goals attempted × 100
Both two-pointers and three-pointers count. Free throws do not. In ordinary FG%, a made three counts as one made field goal, just like a made layup; its extra point earns no extra credit. These definitions follow the NBA’s statistical glossary.
For example, 8 makes on 17 attempts produces 8 ÷ 17 × 100 = 47.1%, rounded to one decimal place. Our guide to FG in a basketball box score explains FGM and FGA in more detail.
The league figure uses combined team makes divided by combined team attempts, not a simple average of every player’s percentage. It is an attempt-weighted shooting rate: high-volume shooting contributes more than low-volume shooting. Likewise, when combining several games, add the makes and attempts first rather than averaging the game percentages.
NBA league averages by season
The following figures cover regular seasons only, not playoffs. The older seasons show why “average” should always have a date attached.
| Season | League FG% |
|---|---|
| 1983–84 | 49.2% |
| 2003–04 | 43.9% |
| 2021–22 | 46.1% |
| 2022–23 | 47.5% |
| 2023–24 | 47.4% |
| 2024–25 | 46.7% |
| 2025–26 | 47.1% |
Source: Basketball-Reference’s NBA league-average table.
A higher historical FG% does not automatically mean a more efficient scoring environment. In 1983–84, teams attempted only 2.4 threes per game, compared with 37.0 in 2025–26. The older season had the higher raw FG%, but its effective field goal percentage was 49.5%, versus 54.6% in 2025–26. Those figures, from the same league-average table, account for the extra value of made threes.
Is 50% a good NBA field goal percentage?
50% is above the latest completed season’s league average—2.9 percentage points above the 2025–26 benchmark. Whether it is good for a particular player depends on their role and shot mix; it is not enough on its own to label a player elite.
Consider two hypothetical 20-shot performances, with no free throws:
- Player A: Makes 10 two-pointers. That is 50% FG% and 20 points.
- Player B: Makes five two-pointers and four threes. That is 45% FG% and 22 points.
Player B makes fewer baskets but scores more points on the same number of attempts. Their effective field goal percentages are 50% and 55%, respectively. The NBA defines eFG% to give made threes the extra weight ordinary FG% lacks; see our effective field goal percentage guide for the formula.
When judging a player, start with the same season’s league average, then check shot locations, three-point share and attempt volume. A 45% shooter should not be dismissed solely for falling below 47.1%, nor should a 60% finisher automatically be considered a better all-around shooter. Use FG% to answer “How often did the field-goal attempts go in?” and eFG% to compare points produced per field-goal attempt. Neither includes free throws or measures the whole offense.