What is PER?
Player Efficiency Rating is John Hollinger's attempt to collapse a box score into one per-minute number where 15.00 is always league average. It credits makes, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks while charging misses, turnovers and fouls, adjusting for team pace and assists.
How the calculator works
We implement the unadjusted uPER formula with fixed league constants for rebounding and possession value, then scale to the familiar 15-average frame. This makes it an approximation — the official PER needs every team's data for exact pace and assist adjustments — but ordering between players stays meaningful.
Common use cases
- One-number comparisons across positions and eras
- Separating volume scorers from efficient producers
- Fantasy rankings sanity checks
Formula & caveats
PER rewards two-point scoring and undervalues threes and defense — modern analysts lean on EPM-style metrics. Known anchors: Jordan peaked near 31, a rookie season lands in the teens, and benchwarmers go negative.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good PER?
15 is league average. 20+ is All-Star level, 25+ is MVP conversation, and 30+ is a historic season.
Why is this an approximation?
Official PER uses league-wide pace and rebounding data; we fix those constants so a browser page can compute it instantly.
Who has the highest PER ever?
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokić have posted seasons above 31; Michael Jordan's career mark is the historical benchmark.
Privacy & Your Data
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