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WNBA Advanced Stats Glossary: The Numbers Behind Player Impact

August 21, 2026 · Stats, WNBA

WNBA Advanced Stats Glossary: The Numbers Behind Player Impact

PopRot quick read: box scores tell part of a WNBA story, but advanced stats help explain how efficiently a player scores, how much of the offense runs through them, and whether a lineup is winning its minutes. This glossary gives PopRot readers a clean starting point before diving into player profiles, team previews, and stat debates.

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Scoring efficiency stats

  • True shooting percentage (TS%): a scoring-efficiency snapshot that accounts for twos, threes, and free throws. It is useful when comparing guards, wings, and post players with different shot diets.
  • Effective field goal percentage (eFG%): adjusts normal field-goal percentage to reward three-pointers for being worth more than twos.
  • Free throw rate: shows how often a player gets to the line compared with their shot attempts. It helps identify slashers and interior scorers who create pressure.

Playmaking and usage stats

  • Usage rate: estimates how many possessions end with a player shooting, drawing free throws, or turning the ball over while they are on the floor.
  • Assist rate: estimates how many teammate baskets a player assists while on court. It is especially helpful for comparing primary guards and secondary creators.
  • Turnover rate: puts turnovers in context by comparing them with a player’s overall possession load.

Team-impact stats

  • Offensive rating: estimates points scored per 100 possessions for a team, lineup, or player context.
  • Defensive rating: estimates points allowed per 100 possessions.
  • Net rating: offensive rating minus defensive rating. A positive net rating usually means a team or lineup is winning its minutes.
  • Pace: estimates possessions per game or per 40 minutes. Faster teams can produce bigger counting stats without necessarily being more efficient.

Rebounding and possession stats

  • Offensive rebounding rate: percentage of available offensive boards collected by a player or team.
  • Defensive rebounding rate: percentage of available defensive boards secured.
  • Team turnover percentage: how often a team gives away a possession before getting a shot or free throw trip.

How PopRot will use these numbers

PopRot’s WNBA coverage should use advanced stats as context, not as a replacement for watching games. A high-usage scorer, a low-turnover table-setter, a defensive anchor, and a spacing forward can all be valuable in different ways. The best analysis combines role, roster fit, health, schedule context, and opponent quality.

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