Aim. To present a sport that provides a wide range of possibilities for the population. The doctor will have to decide on the conditions of physical abilities, monitor and advise the work-out, provide medical care to the sick or injured player. Finally, his advisory mission will extend into the sports prescription called "Sport Health". News. The basket-ball is a team sport invented in the United States in 1891, which is practiced by a large part of the population worldwide. This activity involves children, adolescents and young adults. New forms are available in the "3 x 3" or "Sport Health" programs. The basketball invites all body systems; aero-anaerobic capacity, balance, vision are the prerequisites for creating the most efficient possible motor skills. The development of strength, spatial and technical visio-tactical capabilities is part of a still more refined preparation. The big size of a player is a very important point, especially as the practice level is higher; the size prediction falls under medical advice. Doping prevention must be permanent as an educational strategy developed jointly by doctors, educators and leaders. The medical examination prior to the sport, whatever the legal context, is indispensable; any practitioner must be able to perform; it is based on a clinical examination according to professional standards recommended by the French Society of Sport Medicine. The cardiological assessment is a key point to minimize the risk of a major dramatic cardiac event. The practice of an ECG is discussed even it tends to grow. Further investigations should be argued and prescribed responsibly by the examiner. The contra-indications are rare in children with the exception of Marfan syndrome. In adults, the search for risk factors and coronary artery disease are at the forefront. Most of the injuries are common; the risk of concussions will be stressed, the dental fractures must be better prevented, and the particular risk of ACL rupture in the girl can be lowered with an appropriate musculation. The quality of the management of injuries is related to the consistency of the care chain in place, allowing immediate clinical evaluation, argued if needed by reasoned examinations. Conclusion. Basket-ball is a sport accessible to the general public; its practice requires a simple medical evaluation, surveillance practice must adapt to the relevant levels, allowing everyone to enjoy its benefits and restore pathological situations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.