The Portland Trail Blazers have endorsed an effort to legalize gay marriage in Oregon, becoming the first NBA team to endorse marriage equality.

“The Portland Trail Blazers are in support of the Freedom to Marry and Religious Protection ballot initiative,” the team said in a statement. “We do so as believers in individual choice as a fundamental right of all people.”

Oregon United for Marriage began collecting signatures in August for a ballot question that would repeal Oregon's 2004 ban and allow gay couples to marry in the state. If the measure is approved next year, Oregon would make history as the first state to repeal a constitutional amendment limiting marriage to heterosexual couples.

Last week, the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns endorsed the initiative.

(Related: Lawsuit challenges constitutionality of Oregon's gay marriage ban.)