Three Crucial Keys to Executing the 5 Out Offense in Basketball

• By Grant Young

The 5 out offense has become one of basketball's most common offenses due to its ability to spread the floor and create open driving lanes and passing angles. 

By positioning all five players outside the three-point line, the 5 out offense forces the defense to extend, opening up space near the basket. This offensive strategy also allows for quick ball movement, constant player movement, and multiple scoring options, making it difficult for the defense to anticipate and react effectively. There’s also the fact that the 5 out offense is well-suited for teams with versatile and mobile big men who can shoot from the perimeter, adding an extra dimension to the team's offensive capabilities. 

All of which is to say that many coaches consider the 5 out offense the perfect solution for playing modern basketball, where spacing, ball movement, and outside shooting are highly valued.

Some basketball coaches believe they can execute the 5 out offense with only a basic understanding of its principles. However, successful implementation of the 5 out offense requires more than just a surface-level understanding. 

Coaches must comprehend the intricacies of spacing, player movement, timing, and decision-making within the system. Without a deep understanding of these aspects, teams may struggle to effectively execute the offense, leading to stagnant possessions, poor shot selection, and an overall lack of offensive cohesion. 

While the 5 out offense offers numerous benefits, coaches must invest time in studying and teaching its nuances to ensure its successful implementation on the court. That’s why we’ve pulled lessons from basketball coaches who’ve learned to master the 5 out, providing with you tips that will make a world of difference when you instill the 5 out into your own program.

Cody Toppert - Run Wide

Cody Toppert is currently an assistant coach of the LSU men’s basketball team. Toppert came to LSU in 2022 after three seasons at Memphis, where he played a large role in game planning and created and managed the team’s analytics program which was among the most advanced in college basketball. Toppert joined Memphis after serving as an assistant coach and director of player development for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns.

Coach Toppert’s ‘5 Out System and Actions’ course discusses why players running out wide in transition is crucial to the 5 Out offense’s success. 

He explains that the wing player who’s in transition should be seeking the nearest sideline and running wide with their eyes on the basketball, trying to find a way to get themselves open for the ball handler. While this will likely create open shots behind the three-point line, it will also open up the middle lane for either the ball handler to drive into if they see a lane or for the big man to run into and receive a pass if they’re in front of the break. 

Coach Toppert says that “filling the deep corners is one of the most underrated things to playing 5 Out and playing fast.” He explains how too many coaches worry about shooting too early in the shot clock, as shooting percentage decreases when there’s less time on the shot clock. For this reason, if a player gets open in the corner early in the shot clock, they should always be receiving a pass and taking an open shot. 

Randy Sherman - Half Court Positioning

Randy Sherman is an experienced coach with an illustrious history of working in a lot of different areas of the sports industry. The main facet that he specializes in is consulting for basketball coaches and continuing to mentor them. 

In his ‘Five-Out Early Offense’ course, Coach Sherman conveys that the money shot in a 5 Out offense is at the corners. From there, he wants his wings at a little bit higher than the free throw line extended, because their being any lower will create a logjam with them and the player in the corner, which negates the benefits of employing the 5 out. 

A team should always strive to replicate the 5 Out formation while in transition as well, at least as their offensive attack permits it. If the big man is trailing last, they should always be going down the middle to either set a screen, position themselves in the paint, or make some other move to get the 5 Out in motion. 

A great way for coaches to instill where players should “show up” on the court in the 5 Out offense is by literally putting squares of tape on the court to show where players should look to be lining up. 

Matt Lewis - Post Touches

Matt Lewis is the head coach of the UW-Oshkosh men’s basketball program. Coach Lewis has compiled a 111-40 record in his six seasons at UW-Oshkosh, in which the Titans have made four trips to the NCAA Division III Championship, won the WIAC regular season title three times, and secured two league postseason championships. In 2019 the Titans won the NCAA Division III National Championship.

Coach Lewis’ ‘Matt Lewis - How To Run 5 Out With Any Personnel’ course conveys that he does not have specific post spacing when a player enters the post within the 5 Out. But when a post player does receive a touch, the key is to exercise patience. They must let their teammates clear out, get into other positions, and set screens along the perimeter in order to get themselves open. 

Of course, if the post player seems like they have an advantage on the block over their defender, they should get to work and try to score an easy basket. But if they aren’t feeling capable of executing an attack then they must wait and trust in the 5 Out offense to reveal to open player.