(PIR) Performance Index Rating Calculator

The Performance Index Rating (PIR) is a mathematical statistical formula used by EuroLeague Commercial Assets (ECA) in its first and second tier tournaments, the EuroLeague and EuroCup, as well as many European national, local and regional leagues. It is part of the Tendex Basketball Rating System. People also refer to it as Performance Index Ranking, Rating, Ranking, Evaluation, Evaluation, and Efficiency. It is similar to, but not exactly the same as, the NBA’s Efficiency (EFF) statistic.

Definition – What is a Performance Index Rating?

The Performance Index Rating (PIR) serves as an overall performance score. European basketball competitions use this statistic extensively.

This formula measures performance by adding positive actions and subtracting negative actions from a player’s game.

Leagues first introduced PIR to support MVP selections in the EuroLeague. Today, the statistics remain consistent, although officials now select winners by ballot.

Many fans prefer PIR because it is simple and easy to understand. However, critics argue that it ignores total minutes played and treats each action equally, instead of giving different weights to key factors.

The Performance Index Rating Calculator measures basketball statistics used in the top two competitions of Euroleague Basketball, the EuroLeague and the EuroCup. This value is calculated by combining several individual match statistics listed below:

Instructions: Select units and enter the following details:

• (PTS) Points Scored
• (REB) Total Rebounds
• (AST) Assists Delivered
• (STL) Steals Recorded
• (BLK) Blocks Made
• (FD) Fouls Drawn
• (FGA) Field Goal Attempts
• (FGM) Field Goals Converted
• (FTA) Free Throw Attempts
• (FTM) Free Throws Made
• (TO) Turnovers Committed
• (SR) Shots Denied
• (FC) Fouls Committed

How to Calculate Performance Index Rating

PIR = (Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks + Fouls Drawn) – (Missed Field Goals + Missed Free Throws + Turnovers + Shots Rejected + Fouls Committed)

Example

A player’s match statistics show: 26 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4 fouls drawn, 9 missed field goals, 7 missed free throws, 7 turnovers, 9 shots rejected, and 1 foul committed.

• PIR = (26 + 5 + 10 + 1 + 1 + 4) – (9 + 7 + 7 + 9 + 1)
• PIR = 47 – 33
• PIR = 14

As a result, this player finishes the game with a performance index rating of 14.

History

PIR originated in 1991, when the Spanish ACB League introduced it and began applying the stat to select the league’s MVP of the Week and regular season MVP. In 2004, the ACB League updated the method used to determine the regular season MVP, although it still relies on PIR to select the weekly MVP throughout the season.

Previously, the league used the PIR metric to select MVPs for various stages of the EuroLeague season. These awards included the EuroLeague MVP of the Round, the EuroLeague Group Stage MVP, and the EuroLeague Top 16 Stage MVP. Starting with the 2004–05 season, this approach changed after the EuroLeague transitioned its main MVP award to a voting-based system. However, PIR continues to play a role in naming the EuroLeague MVP of the Round, as well as the MVP of the Round awards in the second-tier EuroCup competition.

Critics have questioned the use of PIR by major European professional basketball leagues to rank players and award MVP awards. Criticism centers on the fact that PIR does not apply a weighting system to assess the relative value of each individual statistic, which is different from Player Efficiency Rating (PER), which was developed by Jon Hollinger while he was a sportswriter at ESPN..

Key Players and Their Achievements

One of the outstanding performers in EuroLeague history based on PIR is Serbian star Nikola Mirotic, who represented FC Barcelona. During the 2019-2020 season, Mirotic posted an impressive average PIR of 22.8 per game, demonstrating his versatile playing style and strong influence on the overall team performance.

In the same season, Anadolu Efes Istanbul’s Shane Larkin made a historic run, setting a new benchmark in the competition. He finished the 2019-2020 campaign as the player with the highest average PIR ever in the EuroLeague, proving his high-level consistency and offensive leadership.

In summary, the Basketball Performance Index rating serves as an effective metric to better measure a player’s performance. It helps coaches, analysts, and fans understand how much a player contributes on the court by looking beyond basic statistics and focusing on total game performance.