Guide to the 5-Out Motion Offense in Basketball

The 5-out motion offense, also known as the open post offense, is a primary offensive play in basketball. Unlike match-up zone or man-to-man defense, it is a positionless strategy, meaning that the players are not in any set position on the court. Players move and adapt based on the ball’s location to perform this offensive strategy.

The 5-out offense helps players build a wide array of skills and does not depend on a couple of key players’ specific talents. Besides basic basketball drills, it is known as one of the best ways to teach the sport and is especially useful in the playbook for high school and youth basketball players.

The 5-out motion offense engages all players in a cooperative, dynamic basketball play. To master this play, the coach leads the team through four basic progressions, each of which will work the different parts of the court. The four progressions include:

1. 1. Basic cutting: In the first progression, also known as pass and cut, one of the players will make a pass and then cut toward the basket to make a basket cut. The potential passes are top to wing, wing to corner, corner to wing, wing to top. Make sure the players are ready for rebounds for shots.
2. 2. Screen away: The second progression involves the players passing then providing a down screen, ball screen, or back screen. Unlike the first progression, this transition is from passer to screener. Players can execute any top to wing, wing to corner, or wing to top pass with a screen away, but it doesn’t work for the corner to wing pass.
3. 3. The on-ball screen: This is the third progression. In this variation, the player passes and then screens the player they passed to, while that player drives to the key to attack the rim directly or to pass to another offensive player. This can be completed with any pass, permitting multiple scoring opportunities with a pick and roll.
4. 4. Dribble at: If the offensive players are well guarded, this final progression involves the ball handler dribbling the ball to one of the other positions. The player being dribbled at then can either do a hardback cut to the opposite corner position or, if possible, receive the ball in a handoff. At this point, the ball handler should dribble-drive toward the basket, aiming for the top of the key. If they can score, they should; if not, they can pass it back to any open shooters.

This basketball offense relies on a handful of rules that determine all the potential variations. The basketball coach calls the play, and all five players should follow these rules:

1. 1. Cut back: If you are one pass away, and denied by a defender, cut back when the ball handler makes eye contact.
2. 2. Attack the hoop: If you believe you can score—this is where it helps to know your defender—attack the hoop as soon as you receive the ball.
3. 3. Square up: If you receive the ball, you should square up and shoot, pass, dribble, or do a layup.
4. 4. Move quickly: Execute all actions with vigor and purpose; moving speedily and confidently is key to a successful 5-out offense.
5. 5. Keep your spacing: Being evenly spaced helps cover all the space, making an offensive play more likely to succeed. Spacing should be at the NBA three-point line, a couple of feet beyond the standard three-point line. One player stands at each corner (near the baseline), one at each wing (about halfway from the corner to the top), and one player at the top of the NBA three-point line.

There are several benefits to the 5-out motion offense, which is why it is such a popular offensive system, either in half-court or full-court games:

1. 1. Teaches the game of basketball: The 5-out motion offense helps develop the real-time adjustments and fundamentals necessary to improve at basketball. Players must learn how to read the defense and their fellow players, become attuned to eye contact and body position shifts, and maintain constant attention.
2. 2. Creates well-rounded players: There are no set positions when practicing this offense, which helps develop versatile, well-rounded players. Every player must get used to different positions on the court, whether close to the ball or on the weak side, and develop their ability to pass, cut, screen, fast break, and dribble.
3. 3. Develops skills of delaying: This offense can utilize the tactic of delaying, permitting the offense to use multiple ball reversals and move around while running out of time on the clock.
4. 4. Helps players maintain spacing: By focusing on appropriate spacing, this strategy allows for a wide, coordinated offense the defense will struggle to resist. This will help them maintain proper positions in set plays as well.
5. 5. Involves all players: Especially at the younger, less-experienced level, this offense requires that all players contribute instead of relying on the skills of physical dominance of one or two offensive players.
6. 6. Requires progressive learning: The different progressions of the 5-out motion offense allow for a step-by-step instruction process. Once players master the basics, coaches can gradually add complexities.

Despite its popularity and several advantages, here are some drawbacks to the 5-out motion offense:

1. 1. Zone defense: If the other team is playing man-to-man defense, the 5-out offense can be very effective. However, if the other team switches to zone defense, they will have more ability to defend against this strategy successfully; an adjustment to zone offense will be best.
2. 2. Dominance: This offensive strategy lessens power in key players. For basketball teams that rely on one or two players for scoring, the 5-out motion offense will reduce their ability to score since it incorporates all players equally. Using another strategy that empowers scoring players in crucial situations might make sense.
3. 3. Attention: Learning this offense can take the team's attention away from scoring. Since all players must be hyper-aware of their teammates’ motions, they may not spend much attention on seeking open shots.
4. 4. Time: Delays can be an effective tactic, but the 5-out motion offense can create situations where too much time is lost, leading to forced scoring attempts.

Head coaches should instruct their players on the finer points of the offense, including these tips:

1. 1. Work through the progressions. Make sure your team is comfortable with each progression before moving on to the next one. It can take time for the players to get a feel for the 5-out motion offense, so take advantage of the stepwise nature of the strategy, building on the lessons of each part as you move on to the next.
2. 2. Incorporate more advanced variations. Try mixing it up when the team is comfortable with the 5-out offense. Add a backdoor cut and specify that players must take a jump shot if they aren’t going all the way to the basket. If you have a strong post player, experiment with letting them post up for a few seconds when they get the ball.
3. 3. Switch up the safety position. Since the players start outside the three-point line, rebounding can be challenging. The point guard usually plays safety while the other four players rush in for the rebound. You might also have the shooting guard play safety while the other three players rush in.

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