Usage Rate (USG%)
Usage rate (USG%) is the share of a team's possessions that a player finishes - by shooting, getting to the line, or turning it over - while they are on the floor. It measures how central a player is to the offense, not how well they play. High usage means the offense runs through them.
Also known as: usage percentage, usage.
Formula
USG% = 100 x ((FGA + 0.44 x FTA + TO) x (Team minutes / 5)) / (Player minutes x (Team FGA + 0.44 x Team FTA + Team TO))
In plain terms: the possessions a player ends, divided by the team possessions that happen while they are on the court.
Worked example
A five-player lineup shares 100% of usage. A primary creator often sits near 28 - 32%, while a spot-up role player might use only 12 - 15%.
Benchmarks
| Tier | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Primary option | 28%+ |
| Secondary option | 20 - 28% |
| Role player | 14 - 20% |
| Low-usage specialist | under 14% |
Ranges are approximate and drawn from public league-average data; exact figures move season to season and vary by source. Use them as a read, not a hard cutoff.
How coaches and scouts use it
- Always read usage next to efficiency - a 30% usage player at high true shooting is a star; the same usage at poor efficiency is a problem.
- Plan for a scorer's absence by seeing whose usage will have to rise and whether they can hold efficiency at a bigger role.
- Spot balanced offenses (usage spread across several players) versus one-man teams that a defense can key on.
Common mistakes
- Treating high usage as automatically good - it only describes volume, never quality.
- Comparing usage across players in very different roles without checking their efficiency at that volume.
Usage Rate (USG%) is calculated automatically inside Scouting4U.
See usage rate against efficiency for every player in Scouting4URelated metrics
Offensive rating (ORtg) explained: points scored per 100 possessions, the formula, elite vs average benchmarks, and how scouts use it to rank offenses.
True shooting percentage (TS%) explained: one number for scoring efficiency across twos, threes and free throws, with the formula and pro benchmarks.
Assist percentage (AST%) explained: the share of teammate baskets a player assists while on the floor, the formula, benchmarks, and how to read playmaking.
Turnover percentage (TOV%) explained: turnovers as a share of possessions used, the formula, benchmarks, and how coaches read it on offense and defense.