Flex offense: flex screen and down screen
Flex offense step by step
- 1
Flex set: O1 and O2 up top, O5 on the left block, O4 in the left corner, O3 in the right corner. O1 reverses the ball to O2 as O5 gets ready to screen.
- 2
O4 cuts hard off O5's flex screen along the baseline to the right block. At the same time, O1 heads down to screen for O5.
- 3
O5 comes up off O1's down screen to the top. This is the screen-the-screener part of the flex.
- 4
O2 looks inside first and passes to O4 on the block for a layup.
- 5
If O4 is covered, O2 passes to O5 at the top for a shot or the next reversal. The flex screen and down screen then run again on the other side.
When to use the flex offense
The flex offense fits a team that needs structure against man-to-man defense. Players learn one pattern, every player screens and cuts, and nobody has to create off the dribble. It's patient, so it helps a team that wants to shorten the game and wait for a good shot.
It works well from about 11U, once players can set a legal screen and make a quick reversal pass. Against a zone, the screens don't hit anyone, so you need a separate zone offense.
Flex offense positions and jobs
Flex screener (O5)
Sets the flex screen on the block on the side the ball is leaving. Get your feet set before the cutter leaves, then turn and look for the down screen coming.
Flex cutter (O4)
Starts in the weak-side corner. Walk your defender toward the baseline, then cut shoulder to shoulder off the screen to the ball-side block with your hand up.
Down screener (O1)
After the reversal pass, go straight down and screen for the flex screener. This is the screen-the-screener action, and it gives the passer at the top a second option.
Ball handler (O2)
Catches the reversal pass up top. Look for the flex cutter first, then the player coming off the down screen. If neither is open, reverse the ball and the pattern starts again.
Ball-side corner (O3)
Stays wide in the corner to keep the block open for the cutter. On the next reversal, O3 becomes the flex cutter from the other side.
How to teach the flex offense
Walk it 5-on-0 first. Players often learn the flex fastest by position: the player on the weak-side block screens, the player in the weak-side corner cuts, and the player who passed goes down to screen.
Once players can run it on both sides, add defense in small groups. 3-on-3 with just the flex screen and cut, then 5-on-5. Stop the play when a screen is moving or a cutter leaves early.
Teach one or two counters after the pattern is smooth. The easiest one is a backdoor cut when a defender cheats over the top of a screen.
See also: Screens in basketball
Flex offense drill: 5-on-0 flex continuity
- Put five players in the flex set with the ball at the left slot. Run one flex cycle and finish with a layup by the flex cutter.
- Run it again without shooting. After each cycle, reverse the ball and run the flex on the other side. Go for five reversals in a row.
- Add a rule that the ball handler must call out which option is open before passing: "cutter" or "top."
- Add two defenders on the flex cutter and the down screen player. The offense scores on either option.
Coaching point The flex screen only works if the cutter waits for it. Have the screener say "set" when both feet are down, and don't let the cutter leave until they hear it.
Common flex offense mistakes
- The cutter leaving before the flex screen is set, so the defender runs right through.
- The flex screener standing too far from the block, which makes the cut too long.
- The passer at the top forgetting to go down and screen the screener.
- Rushing the pattern. Players need to go at game speed without running into each other.
- Running the pattern without looking for the shot. The flex is meant to create layups and open jump shots.
Flex offense vs. motion offense
A motion offense runs on rules like pass and cut and fill the open spot, so players make their own choices. The flex is a set pattern that repeats the same screens every time. Many youth coaches like the flex because it gives players clear jobs, and they add motion rules later.
Flex offense FAQ
What is the flex offense in basketball?
A continuity offense built around two screens. A player on the block sets a baseline screen for a teammate cutting from the corner, and then the passer sets a down screen for that screener. The same pattern repeats each time the ball is reversed.
What is a flex cut?
A cut from the weak-side corner along the baseline, off a screen set on the block, to the ball-side block for a layup.
Is the flex offense good for youth basketball?
It can be. It gives every player a clear job and teaches screening and cutting. It works best from about 11U, once players can set legal screens and pass on time.
Does the flex offense work against a zone?
Not well. The flex is built to free players from man-to-man defenders with screens. Against a zone, use a zone offense that puts players in the gaps.