Basketball Field Goal: Complete Guide to Scoring, Stats, and Records
A basketball field goal is any shot that goes through the basket during live play — excluding free throws. It is the primary way points are scored in basketball, worth two or three points depending on where the shooter releases the ball.
Understanding what a basketball field goal is, how it is counted, and how field goal statistics are calculated is fundamental for anyone playing, coaching, or following the game at any level.
What Is a Basketball Field Goal?
A field goal in basketball is awarded when an offensive player, in possession of the ball and within the boundary lines of the court, successfully shoots the ball through the basket ring during live play.
As confirmed in Wikipedia's dedicated entry on the basketball field goal, the term applies to every scored basket that is not a free throw — worth two or three points depending on the location of the attempt, with uncommon exceptions such as one-point attempts in FIBA 3×3 competition and four-point attempts in the BIG3 League.
The term "field goal" is used officially across the NBA, NCAA, FIBA, and NFHS rulebooks. It appears in box scores, broadcast commentary, referee signals, and coaching strategy at every level of the game.
How Many Points Is a Basketball Field Goal Worth?
The point value of a basketball field goal depends on the position of the shooter's feet at the moment of release — not where the ball lands, and not where the player lands after shooting.
Two-Point Field Goal
Any shot released from inside the three-point arc counts as a two-point field goal. This includes all close-range attempts near the basket and mid-range jump shots taken from within the arc. The majority of field goals in basketball at every level remain two-point attempts.
Three-Point Field Goal
A shot released from beyond the three-point arc counts as a three-point field goal. The arc sits at different distances depending on the governing body:
- NBA: 23 feet 9 inches from the centre of the basket (22 feet in the corners)
- NCAA: 22 feet (moved from 20 feet 9 inches in 2019)
- FIBA/International: 22 feet 1.75 inches (6.75 metres)
- High School (NFHS): 19 feet 9 inches
One-Point and Four-Point Field Goals
FIBA 3×3: In three-on-three competition, shots inside the arc count for one point. Shots from beyond the arc count for two points — not three.BIG3 League: The professional 3-on-3 league introduced a four-point line further behind the standard arc. A made shot from this zone counts four points.
Types of Basketball Field Goal Shots
Every field goal attempt falls into one of two broad categories — close-range shots near the basket, and perimeter-based shots from further away. Each has distinct sub-types.
Close-Range Field Goal Shots
Layup: The most fundamental close-range field goal. The player drives toward the basket, takes the permitted steps, and releases the ball off the backboard or directly over the rim. The layup is the highest-percentage shot in basketball because of its proximity to the basket.
Slam Dunk: A field goal where the player jumps and forces the ball directly through the basket from above. Slam dunks count as two-point field goals regardless of visual impact and carry a near-100% conversion rate when the player successfully reaches the rim.
Hook Shot: A one-handed shot where the player sweeps their shooting arm in an arc over the defender. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook variant is widely regarded as the most unguardable field goal attempt in NBA history.
Floater (Teardrop): A soft, high-arcing shot released while moving toward the basket, designed to float over a taller defender. Popular among guards who cannot absorb rim contact on a standard layup.
Alley-Oop: One player throws a lob near the basket, a teammate catches it in the air and dunks or lays it in before landing. The player who catches and converts is credited with the field goal; the passer receives an assist.
Tip-In: When a missed shot bounces off the rim and an offensive player taps the ball directly into the basket. The tip-in counts as a two-point field goal credited to the player who taps it in, not the original shooter.
Perimeter-Based Field Goal Shots
Jump Shot: The standard perimeter field goal. The player rises off both feet, reaches the top of their jump, and releases the ball. Jump shots within the arc count two points; those beyond it count three.
Fadeaway: A jump shot where the player deliberately falls backward away from the defender at release, creating separation at the cost of added difficulty. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are among the most celebrated fadeaway shooters in history.
Bank Shot: A field goal where the shooter intentionally aims for the backboard, using it to redirect the ball into the basket. Tim Duncan was one of the most proficient bank shot users in modern NBA history.
Three-Point Shot: Any jump shot released from beyond the three-point arc. The three-point shot has transformed modern basketball strategy more than any other development in the past four decades — NBA teams averaged just 2.8 three-point attempts per game when the arc was introduced in 1979, compared to more than 37 attempts per game in recent seasons.
Field Goal Shot Violations
Two violations specifically affect whether a field goal counts or is waived off.
Goaltending
Goaltending occurs when a defender blocks a field goal attempt while the ball is on its downward arc and above the rim level. The basket is automatically awarded to the shooting team — even if the ball would not otherwise have gone in.
Basket Interference
Basket interference occurs when any player touches the ball while it is within the imaginary cylinder extending upward from the basket ring.
Important FIBA distinction: Under FIBA rules, if the ball touches the rim and then rises above the ring, both offensive and defensive players may legally play the ball. This differs meaningfully from NBA, NCAA, and NFHS rules where any contact within the cylinder is a violation regardless of direction.
Basketball Field Goal Statistics: FGM, FGA, and FG%
Field goal statistics are among the most fundamental measurements in basketball, tracked at every level from youth leagues to the NBA.
Field Goals Made (FGM)
Field Goals Made — abbreviated FGM — represents the total number of successful field goal attempts by a player or team. Every two-point and three-point basket counts as one field goal made. Free throws are excluded entirely.
Field Goals Attempted (FGA)
Field Goals Attempted — abbreviated FGA — represents the total number of field goal attempts, successful or not. A blocked shot counts as a field goal attempt for the shooter. A goaltended shot counts as a made field goal, not merely an attempt.
Field Goal Percentage (FG%)
Field Goal Percentage — abbreviated FG% — is calculated as:
FG% = FGM ÷ FGA
Example: A player who makes 9 field goals out of 18 attempts has an FG% of 0.500, or 50%.
An FG% of .500 or above is generally considered strong, though this benchmark varies significantly by position.
Centers and power forwards operating close to the basket typically post higher FG% than guards and small forwards who take a wider range of contested perimeter shots.
Advanced Field Goal Metrics: eFG% and True Shooting %
Standard FG% has a significant limitation — it treats a two-point make and a three-point make identically, despite three-pointers producing 50% more points per basket.
Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%)
eFG% Formula = (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA
The 0.5 multiplier on three-pointers reflects their added value. A player who makes one three-pointer produces the same points as a player who makes 1.5 two-pointers.
Example: Player A goes 4-for-10 with 2 three-pointers (10 points). Player B goes 5-for-10 with no three-pointers (10 points). Both score the same. Their eFG% is identical at 50% — yet Player A's raw FG% (40%) looks worse than Player B's (50%). eFG% corrects this distortion.
True Shooting Percentage (TS%)
TS% Formula = PTS ÷ (2 × TSA) where TSA = FGA + (0.44 × FTA)
True Shooting Percentage incorporates free throws alongside field goals, measuring points scored per total shooting opportunity.
It is the most complete single shooting efficiency metric available, rewarding players who draw fouls and convert at the line in a way that neither FG% nor eFG% captures.
What Happens After a Field Goal
After a Made Field Goal
When Team A scores a field goal, the basket counts and possession transfers to Team B. A player from Team B retrieves the ball, steps behind the baseline, and initiates an inbound pass to their backcourt. Team B then advances and runs their offence.
After a Missed Field Goal Attempt
Both teams compete for the rebound. If the shooting team secures an offensive rebound, they retain possession for another attempt — these are called second chance points. If the defending team grabs the rebound, they gain possession and can push into transition or set up their half-court attack.
NBA All-Time Field Goal Records
The history of field goal records reflects the evolution of basketball across more than seven decades of professional play. As documented by Statista's NBA all-time scoring leaders data, LeBron James has amassed 43,440 regular season points as of April 2026 — a figure built on the most career field goals made in NBA history.
Most career field goals made: LeBron James — 15,961 career field goals as of April 2026, surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's previous record of 15,837 in March 2026. Only two players in NBA history have made 15,000 or more career field goals.
Highest single-season FG%: Mitchell Robinson of the New York Knicks — 74.2% in the 2019–20 season, the highest ever recorded in a single NBA season.
Highest career FG%: DeAndre Jordan — 67.4%, the highest in league history among qualifying players.
Most field goals in a single season: Wilt Chamberlain holds the top four spots, headlined by 1,597 made field goals during the 1961–62 season when he also averaged 50.4 points per game.
Most seasons leading the NBA in FG%: Shaquille O'Neal — 10 seasons finishing first in field goal percentage, a reflection of sustained close-range dominance across his career.Most seasons leading the NBA in field goals made: Michael Jordan — led the NBA in field goals made ten times, more than any other player in league history.
Field Goal Percentage by Position
Understanding positional FG% norms helps contextualise why raw FG% alone can be misleading when comparing players.
Centers and power forwards operate predominantly near the basket — dunks, layups, hook shots, and post-up attempts. An FG% above .550 is common for elite interior players. A centre averaging .600+ is not unusual.
Guards and small forwards take a much wider range of shots — contested mid-range jumpers, three-point attempts, pull-up shots in transition. FG% between .430 and .480 is typical for perimeter-heavy players. A guard at .480 may actually be more efficient than a centre at .550 when eFG% is applied to account for three-point volume.
The 50-40-90 Club recognises players who achieve at least 50% FG%, 40% three-point percentage, and 90% free throw percentage in the same NBA season. Stephen Curry, Steve Nash, Larry Bird, and a small number of others have achieved this — it is the gold standard for all-around shooting efficiency in a single season.
Why Field Goal Efficiency Matters More Than Volume
A player who attempts 20 field goals per game and makes 8 (40%) is less efficient than a player who attempts 12 and makes 6 (50%), even if the first player scores more points. This distinction between volume and efficiency is central to modern basketball analytics.
The best NBA offences prioritise high-efficiency field goal attempts — shots at the rim and shots from three-point range — while minimising mid-range two-pointers that carry a low expected value relative to their distance.
This strategic shift explains why three-point attempts have grown from a tactical novelty in 1979 to the dominant feature of modern NBA offence, with total FGA per game remaining stable while the mix shifts dramatically toward three-pointers and close-range attempts.
How Field Goal Stats Are Tracked
Field goal statistics are recorded by official scorers during every game, logging each attempt with outcome, player, and point value. Box scores display FGM and FGA together as a fraction — "9-18" means 9 made out of 18 attempted.Three-pointers are tracked separately as 3PM and 3PA with their own 3P% column, though they are also included in overall FG and FGA totals.
At the NBA level, player tracking technology captures additional context for every field goal attempt — shot distance, zone, defender proximity, release height, and touch time. This data feeds the advanced metrics that coaches and front offices use to evaluate players and design offences.
Conclusion
A basketball field goal is the foundation of how points are scored in the game. Every basket made during live play — whether a close-range layup, a mid-range jump shot, or a three-pointer from beyond the arc — counts as a field goal, and understanding how they are valued, tracked, and measured is essential for players, coaches, and fans at every level.
The point value of a field goal is determined by where the shooter's feet are at the moment of release — two points inside the arc, three points beyond it. Shot types range from the simple layup to the alley-oop, each carrying its own degree of difficulty and expected conversion rate. Violations like goaltending and basket interference determine when a field goal counts or is waived off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a free throw a field goal?
No. Free throws are explicitly excluded from the field goal category. A field goal must be taken during live play from within the court boundary lines. Free throws are a separate statistical and scoring category.
Does a field goal count if the player is out of bounds?
No. If the shooter has a foot on or outside the boundary line at the moment of release, the shot does not count as a valid field goal attempt.
Does a goaltended shot count as a field goal?
Yes. When goaltending is called on a defender, the basket is automatically awarded and counts as a made field goal — two or three points depending on the shooter's position.
What is the difference between FG% and eFG%?
FG% measures raw shooting accuracy — makes divided by attempts. eFG% adjusts for the extra value of three-point shots, giving a more accurate comparison between players with different shooting profiles. A player who makes many three-pointers will show a higher eFG% relative to their raw FG% than a player who only shoots twos.
Can a basketball field goal be worth one point?
In standard five-on-five basketball under NBA, NCAA, FIBA, and NFHS rules, no — field goals are worth two or three points only. The one-point field goal applies exclusively in FIBA 3×3 competition where shots inside the arc count for one point.
Why do guards have lower FG% than centres?
Guards take more contested perimeter and three-point attempts that are inherently lower-percentage than dunks and layups. FG% is heavily influenced by shot type and distance, which is why comparing raw FG% between a guard and a centre without considering eFG% and shot distribution is not a meaningful efficiency comparison.