Why today's NBL players shoot worse than the 1990s
Written By
basketball.com.au
Chris Goulding of Melbourne United shoots a free throw during the Round 22 NBL match against the South East Melbourne Phoenix at John Cain Arena on February 19, 2026, in Melbourne, Australia. Photo: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Share now:
NBL shooting hasn't improved dramatically – analytics simply changed where players take their shots.
The NBL hasn't become a better shooting league. It has become a different shooting league.
Most people assume modern basketball is more efficient because teams shoot more threes but basketball.com.au's analysis of scoring and shooting percentages from 1979 to 2025-26 tells a different story.
As part of basketball.com.au’s Every NBL Player Ever archive, we have compiled individual players statistics from every season to understand the scoring evolution of the NBL from its first season to last season.
Finding 1: The Death of the Mid-Range Game
In the late 1980s and early 1990s:
FG% was routinely 48-50%
Three-point shooting was 37-38%
Teams lived in the paint
The peak was: 1990
FG%: 50.0%
3PT%: 37.8%
Today: 2025-26
FG%: 45.6%
3PT%: 33.2%
Despite better athletes, better coaching, better analytics and better skill development, overall shooting percentages are lower. Why? Because players take far more difficult shots.
NBL field goal percentage versus scoring
Each dot is an NBL season. The chart shows scoring is not simply about shooting percentage.
The spread shows pace and shot volume drive scoring more strongly than FG% alone.
Finding 2: The Three-Point Myth
The common belief: Teams shoot more threes because they're better at shooting threes.
The reality:
1985: 3PT%: 37.8%
NBL26: 3PT%: 33.2%
The accuracy hasn't improved. In some seasons it has actually declined. What changed is volume.
Teams discovered: Three points at 33% is worth more than two points at 49%.
Analytics changed shot selection, not necessarily shooting skill.
NBL Shooting Evolution 1979-2025
Toggle each shooting trend on and off to see how NBL efficiency has changed across eras.
Note: 3PT% data begins in 1984. Earlier seasons with unavailable shooting data are left blank.
Finding 3: Free Throws Are The Only Real Improvement
This is the cleanest trend on the chart.
1985: FT%: 69.9%
NBL26: FT%: 74.9%
The line gradually climbs across four decades. Players genuinely have become better free throw shooters. This is the only shooting category with a clear long-term upward trend.
Season
FG
FGA
FG%
3P
3PA
3PT%
2P
2PA
2PT%
FT
FTA
FT%
ORB
DRB
TRB
AST
STL
BLK
TOV
PF
PTS
2025-26
11,870
26,039
45.6%
3,442
10,368
33.2%
8,428
15,671
53.8%
5,602
7,484
74.9%
3,631
9,450
13,081
6,997
2,317
1,274
4,018
6,773
32,784
2024-25
10,602
23,085
45.9%
3,249
9,269
35.1%
7,353
13,816
53.2%
5,145
6,892
74.7%
3,202
8,404
11,606
5,712
2,074
1,213
3,534
6,026
29,598
2023-24
10,000
22,098
45.3%
2,734
8,089
33.8%
7,266
14,009
51.9%
5,190
7,047
73.6%
3,193
8,230
11,423
5,155
1,997
1,051
3,676
6,262
27,924
2022-23
9,710
21,504
45.2%
2,922
8,535
34.2%
6,788
12,969
52.3%
4,663
6,341
73.5%
2,967
8,186
11,153
5,212
2,110
884
3,971
5,893
27,005
2021-22
9,069
20,892
43.4%
2,695
8,331
32.3%
6,374
12,561
50.7%
4,147
5,582
74.3%
2,999
7,979
10,978
4,907
1,858
1,092
3,564
5,333
24,980
2020-21
10,690
24,046
44.5%
3,209
9,280
34.6%
7,481
14,766
50.7%
4,494
5,924
75.9%
3,448
8,952
12,400
5,982
2,061
1,177
3,942
6,005
29,083
2019-20
8,981
19,508
46.0%
2,747
7,629
36.0%
6,234
11,879
52.5%
4,144
5,466
75.8%
2,784
6,941
9,725
4,804
1,582
857
3,168
5,303
24,853
2018-19
7,803
17,274
45.2%
2,213
6,168
35.9%
5,590
11,106
50.3%
3,743
4,997
74.9%
2,490
6,277
8,767
4,418
1,493
764
2,812
4,761
21,562
2017-18
7,557
16,619
45.5%
2,015
5,630
35.8%
5,539
10,983
50.4%
3,824
5,120
74.7%
2,609
5,850
8,459
4,074
1,536
779
2,856
4,816
20,953
2016-17
7,207
16,113
44.7%
1,968
5,594
35.2%
5,239
10,519
49.8%
3,934
5,242
75.0%
2,529
5,723
8,252
4,079
1,563
732
3,173
5,161
20,316
2015-16
7,311
16,623
44.0%
1,969
5,699
34.5%
5,342
10,924
48.9%
3,867
5,287
73.1%
2,617
6,058
8,675
3,632
1,256
777
2,917
4,870
20,458
2014-15
7,108
16,315
43.6%
1,742
5,133
33.9%
5,366
11,182
48.0%
3,545
4,925
72.0%
2,565
5,964
8,529
3,531
1,256
873
2,884
4,481
19,503
2013-14
7,354
16,181
45.4%
1,914
5,310
36.0%
5,440
10,871
50.0%
3,726
4,963
75.1%
2,576
5,561
8,137
3,712
1,168
757
2,791
4,929
20,348
2012-13
6,577
15,554
42.3%
1,607
4,897
32.8%
4,970
10,657
46.6%
3,194
4,446
71.8%
2,516
5,704
8,220
3,474
1,329
717
3,085
4,485
17,955
2011-12
7,878
18,009
43.7%
1,919
5,690
33.7%
5,959
12,319
48.4%
3,906
5,407
72.2%
3,029
6,409
9,438
4,041
1,574
827
3,811
5,275
21,581
2010-11
8,030
18,268
44.0%
1,884
5,610
33.6%
6,146
12,658
48.6%
4,011
5,543
72.4%
3,153
6,461
9,614
4,231
1,606
884
3,835
5,289
21,955
2009-10
7,137
15,761
45.3%
2,021
5,472
36.9%
5,116
10,289
49.7%
3,639
5,100
71.4%
2,618
5,612
8,230
3,660
1,269
654
3,133
4,805
19,934
2008-09
11,291
25,225
44.8%
3,017
8,489
35.5%
8,274
16,736
49.4%
5,783
8,189
70.6%
4,127
9,221
13,348
6,173
2,226
1,191
5,133
7,219
31,382
2007-08
15,043
33,059
45.5%
4,008
11,166
35.9%
11,035
21,893
50.4%
7,654
10,839
70.6%
5,411
11,895
17,306
7,857
2,844
1,427
6,618
9,707
41,748
2006-07
15,561
33,960
45.8%
3,920
10,834
36.2%
11,641
23,126
50.3%
7,882
11,153
70.7%
5,657
11,915
17,572
8,243
2,775
1,638
6,701
9,809
42,924
2005-06
13,709
30,525
44.9%
3,460
9,572
36.1%
10,249
20,953
48.9%
6,819
9,855
69.2%
5,343
10,665
16,008
7,819
2,652
1,562
6,629
8,526
37,697
2004-05
13,853
31,192
44.4%
3,191
9,360
34.1%
10,662
21,832
48.8%
6,738
9,713
69.4%
5,573
11,004
16,577
7,692
2,797
1,647
6,376
8,354
37,635
2003-04
15,327
34,388
44.6%
3,778
10,604
35.6%
11,549
23,784
48.6%
7,230
10,029
72.1%
6,139
11,872
18,011
8,246
3,046
1,738
7,091
9,019
41,662
2002-03
13,358
29,536
45.2%
3,116
9,030
34.5%
10,242
20,506
49.9%
6,308
9,118
69.2%
5,000
10,516
15,516
7,280
2,550
1,452
6,311
8,214
36,140
2001-02
13,445
29,739
45.2%
3,203
9,174
34.9%
10,242
20,565
49.8%
6,422
9,041
71.0%
5,108
10,336
15,444
6,931
2,482
1,431
6,385
8,570
36,515
2000-01
12,916
28,450
45.4%
3,069
8,442
36.4%
9,847
20,008
49.2%
6,077
8,416
72.2%
4,844
9,932
14,776
6,578
2,381
1,470
6,236
7,866
34,978
1999-00
11,711
26,023
45.0%
2,578
7,336
35.1%
9,133
18,687
48.9%
5,251
7,241
72.5%
4,643
8,823
13,466
6,058
2,322
1,320
5,496
7,109
31,251
1998-99
10,854
24,135
45.0%
2,443
6,777
36.0%
8,411
17,358
48.5%
5,000
6,953
71.9%
4,397
8,189
12,586
5,581
2,239
1,215
5,047
6,543
29,151
1998
12,778
27,443
46.6%
2,857
7,773
36.8%
9,921
19,670
50.4%
6,162
8,268
74.5%
4,865
9,114
13,979
6,665
2,754
1,123
5,849
7,528
34,575
1997
12,677
27,313
46.4%
2,646
7,541
35.1%
10,031
19,772
50.7%
6,204
8,444
73.5%
4,848
9,077
13,925
6,673
2,766
1,340
5,923
7,803
34,204
1996
14,782
31,412
47.1%
3,005
8,538
35.2%
11,777
22,874
51.5%
7,514
10,067
74.6%
5,469
10,291
15,760
7,939
3,541
1,576
6,927
8,977
40,083
1995
15,522
32,419
47.9%
3,210
8,671
37.0%
12,312
23,748
51.8%
7,109
9,654
73.6%
5,524
10,482
16,006
8,813
3,645
1,663
7,074
8,933
41,363
1994
15,225
31,957
47.6%
2,825
7,749
36.5%
12,400
24,208
51.2%
7,346
10,099
72.7%
5,396
10,637
16,033
8,743
3,917
1,447
7,520
9,364
40,621
1993
15,279
32,146
47.5%
2,717
7,354
36.9%
12,562
24,792
50.7%
6,722
9,184
73.2%
5,392
10,466
15,858
8,440
3,760
1,471
6,924
8,561
39,997
1992
13,878
29,232
47.5%
2,307
6,258
36.9%
11,571
22,974
50.4%
6,583
9,005
73.1%
5,137
9,456
14,593
7,500
3,336
1,474
6,112
8,264
36,646
1991
16,647
33,794
49.3%
2,575
6,806
37.8%
14,072
26,988
52.1%
7,478
10,221
73.2%
5,723
10,519
16,242
8,370
3,624
1,612
6,561
9,349
43,347
1990
17,572
35,114
50.0%
2,564
6,792
37.8%
15,008
28,322
53.0%
6,637
9,298
71.4%
5,974
10,653
16,627
8,435
3,723
1,603
6,742
8,655
44,345
1989
15,000
30,734
48.8%
2,141
5,715
37.5%
12,859
25,019
51.4%
5,460
7,552
72.3%
5,414
9,316
14,730
6,850
3,121
1,435
5,917
7,395
37,601
1988
14,460
29,846
48.4%
1,878
5,003
37.5%
12,582
24,843
50.6%
4,894
6,795
72.0%
5,107
8,798
13,905
6,535
3,112
1,242
5,523
6,899
35,692
1987
16,550
35,087
47.2%
1,728
4,714
36.7%
14,822
30,373
48.8%
5,813
8,163
71.2%
6,069
10,663
16,732
7,093
3,459
1,549
6,389
8,060
40,641
1986
15,902
34,170
46.5%
1,685
4,570
36.9%
14,217
29,600
48.0%
5,634
7,992
70.5%
5,932
10,250
16,182
6,814
3,523
1,523
6,148
7,874
39,123
1985
16,076
34,456
46.7%
1,518
4,016
37.8%
14,558
30,440
47.8%
5,633
8,058
69.9%
6,078
9,948
16,026
7,140
3,664
1,635
7,061
7,963
39,303
1984
18,159
37,928
47.9%
1,299
3,483
37.3%
16,860
34,445
48.9%
6,713
9,296
72.2%
6,338
10,434
16,772
7,669
3,855
1,735
7,571
8,563
44,330
1983
14,106
29,087
48.5%
5,194
7,278
71.4%
4,596
7,606
12,202
4,559
2,403
1,113
5,272
7,020
33,406
1982
13,361
28,228
47.3%
5,105
6,965
73.3%
31,827
1981
21,943
1980
22,234
1979
15,084
Finding 4: The Golden Era Of Efficiency
The chart will shock younger fans. The most efficient shooting era wasn't today.
It was roughly:
1988-1996
Highlights:
1990 FG%: 50.0%
1991 FG%: 49.3%
1995 FG%: 47.9%
1996 FG%: 47.1%
Those teams generated easier shots because offenses were built around:
post play
transition
paint scoring
interior passing
rather than high-volume perimeter shooting.
Finding 5: Analytics Changed Everything
The NBL's shooting percentages have barely improved in 40 years, but the types of shots players take have completely changed.
That's the story. The chart isn't about shooting. It's about strategy.
The league evolved from: "Take the best shot available" to "Take the most valuable shot available."
The NBL has three statistical eras.
Era 1: Original 40-minute era (1979-1983)
40-minute games
Two 20-minute halves
No three-point line until 1983
Fewer teams
Fewer games
Era 2: 48-minute era (1984 to 2008-09)
48-minute games
Four 12-minute quarters
More possessions
More scoring opportunities
Most offensive records set here.
This is where:
Al Green scored 71
Andrew Gaze averaged 44.1ppg
League scoring peaked
FG% peaked
Assists peaked
Many of the "all-time" volume records are here because teams had 20% more game time than in the 40-minute eras.
.jpg)
.jpg)
