Did you know that about three-quarters of NBA fans now use NBA advanced stats to get a real handle on how players are performing? I cannot tell you how many arguments I have been in about who the greatest NBA players are. People start throwing championships and highlight reel plays around, but I wanted something more solid. I wanted to go past opinions and see what the numbers said. Forget those old box score stats. I am talking about metrics that pick apart everything a player does. These stats give a number to their effectiveness, how much they matter and what they are worth. This way of looking at things has changed how I see players, break down games and enjoy the sport.
The Problems With Old NBA Stats
Stats such as points, rebounds and assists are the foundation, but they often do not tell the whole story. As an example, a player who scores a lot might not be efficient, needing a ton of shots to get to that total. Old stats often miss important things such as defense, teamwork and what a player does for a team. These are the holes that NBA advanced stats fill.
Think about a player who scores 25 points on a team that likes to slow the game down versus a player who scores the same amount on a team that runs all the time. Their impact is totally different. As another example, a player with 12 rebounds might not be good at boxing out or getting defensive rebounds. NBA advanced stats are here to help us with questions like these.
Taking a Closer Look at NBA Advanced Statistics
NBA advanced stats give a more complete and detailed way to see what a player can do. They look at many things, adjust for pace and playing time and try to put a number on things that are often missed. Let us check out some key metrics:
Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
John Hollinger came up with PER to put all of a player’s stats into a single number. It counts the good things such as points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks, while taking away from the bad ones such as missed shots, turnovers and fouls. The number you get is adjusted for pace, so you can compare players from different times. A PER of 15 is seen as average, while anything over 25 is seen as great.
One problem with PER is that it might favor players who score a lot. This could make defensive contributions seem less important. It also does not look at how good the opponent is or what a player’s role is. Still, PER gives you a quick look at what a player brings to the table.
Win Shares (WS)
Win Shares tries to guess how many wins a player adds to their team. It looks at both offense and defense and gives credit based on how well they did. Win Shares adds up over a season or a career. High totals show that a player was very important to a team that wins.
Win Shares makes team dynamics simple and might not show how much a player helps team chemistry or leadership. It also tends to favor players on teams that win because their contributions look bigger. Win Shares is helpful when comparing players, mostly when used with other numbers.
Box Plus/Minus (BPM)
Box Plus/Minus is a stat based on the box score that guesses how much a player adds to the team in points per 100 possessions compared to an average player. It looks at points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers, along with how well the team does. BPM is adjusted for pace and looks at how good the competition is.
BPM is a rate stat, so it measures impact per 100 possessions. A BPM that is positive means a player is helping, while a BPM that is negative suggests they are hurting the team. BPM is useful for looking at players who help in ways other than scoring.
Value Over Replacement Player (VORP)
VORP puts a number on what a player does compared to a player who is easy to find. It guesses how many points per 100 possessions a player adds above what an average player would give. VORP looks at BPM and playing time to get a total value.
VORP is helpful for comparing players from different positions and times. It gives you a look at how much better a player is compared to someone you can easily replace them with. A high VORP often means you have a star player who really makes their team better.
True Shooting Percentage (TS%)
True Shooting Percentage measures how well a player shoots by looking at all ways to score: two point shots, three point shots and free throws. It knows that three pointers are worth more and looks at missed free throws. You get TS% by dividing total points by two times the total shots taken (including free throws).
TS% gives you a better idea of how well someone shoots than old field goal percentage. It rewards players who score well from all spots on the court. A TS% of 60% or higher is usually seen as great.
Usage Rate (USG%)
Usage Rate guesses the percentage of team plays a player is involved in while they are playing. This measures how often they shoot, turn the ball over or get to the free throw line. Usage Rate is a sign of how much a team depends on a player to create offense.
A high Usage Rate usually means you have a primary scorer or playmaker. If the player does not make the most of their chances, a high Usage Rate can hurt the team. You should look at Usage Rate with other stats, such as TS%, to get a full picture of what a player can do on offense.
Assist Ratio (AST%)
Assist Ratio guesses the percentage of a player’s possessions that end in an assist. This measures how well they create scoring chances for teammates. Assist Ratio is a sign of playmaking skills and if they are willing to pass the ball.
A high Assist Ratio is normal for point guards and primary ball handlers. Some forwards and even centers can have high Assist Ratios if they are great passers. You should look at Assist Ratio with other stats, such as Usage Rate, to understand what a player does on offense.
Using Advanced Statistics in the GOAT Debate
Let us see how these stats can be used to look again at some of the greatest players ever. This is not about saying who the GOAT is for sure, but about learning new things about how great they were. Let’s check how NBA advanced stats such as player efficiency rating show us unique player strengths.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is seen by many as the greatest and his NBA advanced stats back that up. He has a career PER of 27.9, which is among the highest ever in the NBA and a Win Shares total of 214. His five MVP awards and six NBA championships also cement his legacy.
Jordan’s high Usage Rate (33.3%) shows that he was the primary scorer and playmaker for the Chicago Bulls. His TS% of 50.9% is solid when you consider how many shots he took. Jordan’s NBA advanced stats show a player who was not only very skilled, but also efficient and important.
LeBron James
LeBron James is a good candidate for GOAT status and his NBA advanced stats are just as good. He has a career PER of 27.5, just short of Jordan’s and a Win Shares total of 264.3, which is the highest ever. He also has four MVP awards and four NBA championships.
James’s lower Usage Rate (31.3%) compared to Jordan shows how versatile he is. He is great as a scorer, playmaker and rebounder. His TS% of 58.5% is better than Jordan’s, which means he is a better shooter. James’s NBA advanced stats show a player who is well rounded and helps in all parts of the game.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Kareem Abdul Jabbar, the NBA’s all time leading scorer and a six time NBA champion, has advanced statistics that, while harder to find, show that he was dominant and efficient. His career PER is around 24 and his Win Shares total is about 273.
Abdul Jabbar’s high TS% (59.4%) shows how well he scored near the basket. His skyhook was almost impossible to stop, which made him one of the toughest players to defend. Abdul Jabbar’s NBA advanced stats along with his scoring records and championships, make sure that he is seen as one of the NBA’s all time greats.
Bill Russell
Bill Russell, an eleven time NBA champion and great defensive player, played at a time when advanced statistics were not tracked much. This makes it hard to see what he did using modern numbers. Still, his many championships and five MVP awards show how great he was.
Even without much data, Russell’s impact is clear. He was a dominant rebounder, shot blocker and defensive presence. He had great leadership and a winning mindset. Russell’s legacy reminds us that stats do not always tell the whole story and that what some players do is best measured by how they help the team win.
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain has many NBA records, including the single game scoring record of 100 points. His advanced statistics are good, but you have to be careful when looking at them because of the time he played in. Chamberlain’s career PER is around 25 and his Win Shares total is about 247.
Chamberlain’s dominance cannot be denied, but his NBA advanced stats also show some things he could have done better. His TS% (54%) is a little low for someone who scored so much, which suggests he took a lot of shots. His Assist Ratio is also low, which means he focused more on scoring than playmaking.
The Problems With Advanced Statistics
It is important to know that NBA advanced stats are not perfect. They are tools that help us understand the game better, but they have their limits:
- Context Matters: Statistics are part of a bigger picture. Team dynamics, coaching and luck can change a player’s numbers.
- Defense is Hard to Measure: Some advanced statistics try to put a number on defense, but it is still hard to fully show what a player does on that end.
- Statistics Can Be Misleading: It is easy to pick and choose stats to make a point. You need to look at many stats before coming to a conclusion.
The Future of NBA Analytics
NBA analytics will only keep getting bigger. Teams are always looking for new ways to see how well players are doing. We are seeing more player tracking data, which gives details about how players move, space the floor and make decisions. This data helps teams make good choices about who to get, coaching and what to do during games.
Analytics are helping a lot with player development. Teams are using data to find things players can improve and making training programs to help them.
In Conclusion
NBA advanced stats give a good way to see how well a player is doing and understand basketball better. They give a more complete and detailed view than old statistics do. By looking at many things, adjusting for pace and playing time and trying to put a number on things that are hard to measure, NBA advanced stats help us go past opinions and make good guesses about the game’s greatest players. As analytics keep changing, we can expect to enjoy the game and its players even more.
Vince Douglas Gregory is a true Renaissance man, seamlessly blending his roles as an astute observational scholar and a petulant puppet master. As the foremost critic, he fearlessly exposes mediocrity while pushing boundaries as an unstable thinker who thrives on novel ideas. A confident ghostwriter, he effortlessly captures diverse voices, delivering exceptional content. His empire, VDG Sports, has revolutionized the sports landscape with sharp insights and witty commentary. If you seek a multifaceted talent who can inspire and engage, Vince Gregory is the individual to watch.