Motion Offense Basketball: The 5 Types & How to Teach It

A motion offense is a basketball offense that uses rules and principles to help players read the defense and make their own decisions, instead of running scripted set plays. It's built on spacing, cutting, screening, and constant ball movement, and it can be run out of a 5-out, 4-out, or 3-out alignment depending on your personnel. This page covers what a motion offense actually is, where it came from, the five types you can choose from, how to teach it from scratch, and why most motion offenses break down.