How to Run the Flex Offense in Basketball

The flex offense is one of the most basic offenses in all of basketball. It provides a chance for all five players to touch the ball and work together to get a good shot. Every player will have to set screens, cut off of screens, pass the ball and shoot. Young players should run the flex offense or at least be familiar with it because it is effective for teaching the fundamentals of the game.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Set up the offense. To run the flex offense the point guard will bring the ball up on the left side of the floor. The shooting guard should be positioned along side of him to the right. The small forward is in the left corner with the center on the left block and the power forward on the right block.
2. Trigger the offense with a pass. The point guard should pass the ball to the shooting guard. When the ball is passed, the center will set a back screen for the small forward and the small forward will cut to the middle of the lane looking for a pass from the shooting guard. This is the basic "flex" cut that the offense is named after. As the small forward cuts through the power forward should move out to the three point line on the right side to make room for the small forward to take his place on the right block.
3. Screen the screener. The next step when you run the flex offense is for the point guard to set a down screen for the center who had just set a pick for the small forward. The center then flashes to the free throw line. If he is open, the shooting guard should pass to him. If not he should run all the way out and replace the point guard at the top of the offense.
4. Reset the offense. The formation is now flipped from when the offense started. The shooting guard has not moved yet, but the center is now up top, the point guard is on the offside baseline, the small forward is on the right block and the power forward is now on the ball side baseline.
5. Flip the play. Now the offense runs the same play, just to the opposite direction. The shooting guard passes to the center, the small forward sets a back screen for the power forward who cuts through the lane, the shooting guard sets a down screen for the small forward and we are once again set up in the same formation as we were at the beginning of the play. Players have shifted spots, but the same basic spots on the floor are occupied.
6. Run the flex offense over and over. This is a very basic offense, but if the screens are set properly, there should be ample opportunities to get open shots. If it is run correctly no one will be able to dominate the ball and everyone will get a chance to score.