By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
Three-point percentage measures how often a player converts attempts from beyond the arc. It divides three-pointers made by three-pointers attempted and reports the result as a percentage. Because long-range shooting varies so much, the rate is usually read alongside attempt volume rather than on its own.
Turn made and attempted threes into a shooting percentage.
3P% = 3PM ÷ 3PA × 100
Only shots taken from beyond the three-point line enter this formula, so a long two-pointer does not count. Attempts must be greater than zero, and makes cannot exceed attempts.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 3PM | Three-pointers made, counting only baskets from beyond the arc. |
| 3PA | Three-pointers attempted, counting every shot from beyond the arc. |
| 3P% | Made threes divided by attempts, shown as a percentage. |
3 ÷ 8 = 0.375, so 3P% is 37.5%. One more make on the same eight attempts would raise it to 50.0%, while one more miss would drop it to 33.3%.
Three point percentage divides made threes by attempted threes. The arithmetic is the same as field goal percentage, but the sample behaves very differently. Most players attempt far fewer threes than twos, so each make or miss moves the percentage more, and a handful of games can swing a season line by several points.
That volatility is a sampling effect rather than a change in skill. A player who goes three of eight in one night and three of eight the next is at 37.5 percent over sixteen attempts, but a single hot or cold stretch early in the year can make a similar shooter look far better or worse than he is.
Each made three is worth three points, so a modest percentage can produce strong scoring value. Thirty-five percent on threes yields about 1.05 points per attempt, which is comparable to shooting 52.5 percent on twos. That equivalence is why teams tolerate lower percentages from deep.
Three point percentage still says nothing about volume, difficulty, or the threat the shot creates by pulling defenders away from the basket. It is a shooting skill indicator, not a complete measure of offensive value, and it should be read alongside attempts per game and the player's role in the offense.
Continue with the True Shooting Percentage Calculator, Effective Field Goal Percentage Calculator, or the Field Goal Percentage Calculator — or browse more basketball tools and all sports calculators.
Yes. Every shot from beyond the arc counts as an attempt, made or missed. A blocked three is also an attempt.
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Content updated: September 2026