You can now add the National Basketball Association to the ranks of professional sports organizations that specifically include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Around 5:30 tonight, the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement applauding the NBA for making the move, but I haven’t found anything else online about the announcement, except this piece in the Windy City Times, an LGBT paper in Chicago, which is taken from the HRC release, and which notes that the NBA’s announcement came on the same day that HRC released its 2012 Corporate Equality Index.

HRC President Joe Solmonese said: “The NBA now joins the ranks of some of the most influential organizations and corporations in the country, who all believe that equality and inclusion are integral to a successful workplace, We are grateful to Commissioner Stern, the NBA and the Players’ Association for sending such a powerful message to society that what matters is a person’s talent, not their sexual orientation.”

The HRC statement also points out that Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash — formerly with the Dallas Mavericks — is one of several pro athletes who have made videos recently to speak out in support of marriage equality. Nash’s video, which you can watch below, was part of the campaign to pass the marriage equality law in New York State.

Like I said, I haven’t found anything on this yet from the any source other than HRC, not even on the NBA website. But we’ll keep looking, and tell you more when we find it.