WNBA Scores Explained: What the Numbers Really Mean
New to the WNBA or want to understand the game better? This guide breaks down WNBA scores, from basic box scores to advanced stats like TS% and PER. Learn what the numbers really mean.
Jessica Morales
A dedicated sports journalist and analyst with a passion for women's basketball.
WNBA Scores Explained: What the Numbers Really Mean
You’ve just watched an incredible WNBA game. The energy was electric, the shots were falling, and your favorite team pulled off a nail-biting win. You open up your phone to look at the post-game stats, and you’re hit with a wall of numbers and acronyms. PTS, REB, AST, FG%, TS%... it can feel a little overwhelming.
While the final score tells you who won, the box score tells you how they won. It’s the story of the game, written in numbers. But if you don’t know the language, you’re missing half the story. Whether you're a new fan drawn in by the league's explosive growth or a long-time viewer looking to deepen your understanding, this guide is for you.
Let's break down what those numbers really mean, moving from the basic building blocks to the stats that analysts use to evaluate player performance.
The Foundation: How to Read a WNBA Box Score
The box score is the foundation of basketball statistics. It’s a summary of every player's contributions during the game. Here are the most common stats you’ll see, from left to right:
- MIN: Minutes played. This shows how much a coach trusts a player in a given game.
- FGM-FGA: Field Goals Made and Attempted. This is the total number of shots made (excluding free throws) out of the total shots taken. A line like 8-17 means the player made 8 shots out of 17 attempts.
- FG%: Field Goal Percentage. The percentage of shots made (FGM divided by FGA). It’s a quick measure of shooting efficiency.
- 3PM-3PA: Three-Pointers Made and Attempted. The same as FGM-FGA, but only for shots from behind the three-point line.
- 3P%: Three-Point Percentage. A key stat for measuring a player's long-range shooting prowess.
- FTM-FTA: Free Throws Made and Attempted. Crucial for understanding how often a player gets to the line and capitalizes on those "free" points.
- FT%: Free Throw Percentage. Anything over 80% is good, and the elite shooters are consistently over 90%.
- REB: Rebounds. This is the total number of times a player grabs the ball after a missed shot. It's often broken down into OREB (Offensive Rebounds, which give your team another chance to score) and DREB (Defensive Rebounds, which end the other team's possession).
- AST: Assists. A pass that leads directly to a teammate scoring. This is the primary measure of a player's playmaking ability.
- STL: Steals. Taking the ball away from the opposing team.
- BLK: Blocks. Deflecting or stopping an opponent's shot attempt.
- TO: Turnovers. Losing the ball to the other team, either through a bad pass, a steal, or another mistake.
- PF: Personal Fouls. Players are disqualified after their sixth foul.
- PTS: Points. The total number of points a player scored. This is the number everyone looks at first, but as we'll see, it doesn't tell the whole story.
Going Deeper: The Efficiency Metrics That Tell the Real Story
Scoring 25 points is great, but how a player gets those points matters. Did it take them 15 shots or 30? This is where efficiency metrics come in. They provide a much clearer picture of a player's scoring impact.
eFG%: Effective Field Goal Percentage
Think about it: a three-point shot is worth 50% more than a two-point shot. Standard FG% treats them the same. Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) adjusts for this by giving extra weight to made three-pointers. It helps you see which players are scoring in the most valuable ways.
The takeaway: If two players have the same FG%, the one with the higher eFG% is the more efficient scorer because they are likely making more threes.
TS%: True Shooting Percentage
This is often considered the king of scoring efficiency stats. True Shooting Percentage (TS%) takes eFG% a step further by also factoring in free throws. It measures a player's total scoring efficiency by looking at all three ways to score: two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws.
The takeaway: TS% is the most comprehensive stat for answering the question, "How efficiently does this player put points on the board from all their scoring attempts?" A player who is great at drawing fouls and sinking free throws, like Jewell Loyd, will have a TS% that better reflects her value than FG% alone.
AST:TO: Assist-to-Turnover Ratio
This one is simple but powerful, especially for point guards like Chelsea Gray or Courtney Vandersloot. It's simply the number of assists a player has for every turnover they commit. A ratio of 2:1 (or just "2.0") is good. A ratio of 3:1 or higher is elite.
The takeaway: A high AST:TO ratio indicates a player who creates a lot of offense for their teammates without making costly mistakes. They are a steady hand running the offense.
The "Advanced" Stats Made Simple
Don't let the word "advanced" scare you. These stats are designed to capture a player's overall impact in a single number. Here are a few key ones explained simply.
PER: Player Efficiency Rating
PER is an all-in-one number that tries to boil down a player's entire box score contribution into one metric. It adds up all the good things a player does (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) and subtracts the bad things (missed shots, turnovers, fouls), then adjusts it for pace and minutes played.
The takeaway: PER is a great starting point for identifying the most productive players in the league on a per-minute basis. League average is set to 15, so anyone significantly above that is having a stellar season.
+/-: Plus-Minus
This stat is elegantly simple. It tracks the point differential for a player’s team while they are on the court. If a player has a +/- of +10, their team outscored the opponent by 10 points during their minutes on the floor. If it's -5, they were outscored by 5.
The takeaway: In a single game, +/- can be a powerful indicator of impact that doesn't always show up in the traditional box score. A defensive specialist might have a modest stat line but a huge positive +/- because her team simply plays better when she's out there.
USG%: Usage Rate
Usage Rate estimates the percentage of a team's offensive possessions a player is responsible for ending (either by shooting, getting to the free-throw line, or turning the ball over) while they're on the court. It tells you who the offense runs through.
The takeaway: A high USG% (like for stars A'ja Wilson or Breanna Stewart) means that player is the focal point of their team's offense. When you combine USG% with efficiency stats like TS%, you can see which players carry a heavy load and still perform efficiently—the true superstars of the league.
Tying It All Together: A Real-World Example
Imagine you're comparing two players after a game:
- Player A: 22 PTS, 9-22 FG (40.9%), 1-4 3P, 3-4 FT, 4 REB, 2 AST, 4 TO
- Player B: 20 PTS, 7-12 FG (58.3%), 2-3 3P, 4-4 FT, 7 REB, 5 AST, 1 TO
At first glance, Player A scored more points. But who had the better game? Let's look deeper.
Player B was far more efficient. Her FG% is much higher, and she got her 20 points on 10 fewer shots! She also contributed more rebounds and assists while committing far fewer turnovers (an excellent 5:1 AST:TO ratio). While Player A was the higher-volume scorer, Player B had a much more positive all-around impact on the game.
This is the power of looking beyond the points column. It allows you to appreciate the nuance and true impact of every player on the court.
More Than Just Points
The next time you watch a WNBA game, keep these numbers in mind. Notice the player who doesn't score much but has a high +/-. Appreciate the guard with a 4:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. And when you look at the box score, compare the TS% of the top scorers, not just their point totals.
Understanding the language of the box score doesn’t just make you a smarter fan—it deepens your appreciation for the skill, strategy, and incredible talent on display in the WNBA. The numbers don't tell the whole story, but they sure tell a fascinating one.