5-Out Offense

5 out offense

5-out offense – download full pdf

Below is snippets of a few things you’ll find in the full PDF linked above.

WHO SHOULD RUN IT
Any youth team. Especially yours. At this age you don’t know which kid is going to grow six inches by middle school. The tall kid in fourth grade might be the shortest by seventh. If you stick him under the basket all year, he never learns to dribble or shoot — and when his body changes, he’s behind. 5-out makes everybody a complete player. That’s the whole point.

STRENGTHS

  • Builds positionless players — everyone passes, cuts, shoots
  • Forces great spacing — driving lanes stay open
  • Hard to scout — no set plays for the other team to break
  • Every kid contributes — nobody dominates the ball
  • Easy to teach in progressions — never overwhelming•  Works whether you have a shot clock or not

WATCH-OUTS

  • Not great if you have one dominant scorer who needs the ball (you shouldn’t want this anyway)
  • Players can get robotic — running it without looking to score
  • Takes time — reading the game is a skill
  • Can feel slow on a shot clock until reads speed up

THE FIVE RULES
These five rules govern everything in the 5-out offense. Drill them into the kids at every practice.

  1. Wide spacing
    Stretch out two feet behind the regular three-point line. Tight spacing kills this offense.
  2. Move the ball and move
    Never pass and stand still. Pass and cut or pass and screen away. And if you cut, cut hard. If you screen, set a real screen.
  3. Back cut when denied
    If you’re being denied one pass away and the player with the ball is looking at you, back cut. Don’t hesitate. Next man rotates in after the cut. Coaches often yell “fill in the spots.”
  4. Square up
    On the catch, face the basket. Now you can shoot, pass, or drive. The defender has no idea what’s coming.
  5. Attack the lane
    If you think you can beat your defender, do it. On the catch. Attack the open lane. It’s supposed to be open. The defense will collapse and a kickout will wide open. Get out of the lane after the kickout.

THE FOUR PROGRESSIONS TO TEACH
Don’t try to teach the whole offense in one practice. You’ll lose them. Move through these in order — never skip a step.

  • Progression 1 — Basic cutting
  • Progression 2 — Screen away
  • Progression 3 — Dribble hand off (DHO)
  • Progression 3 — On-ball screen
  • Progression 4 — Dribble at