ORLANDO, Fla. — A new study shows that 43 percent of the professional positions in the NBA's league offices are held by women, giving the league its highest grade for gender.

The report issued today by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport showed an increase of 2 percent of women from last year in the league office. That's higher than any other men's pro league in any previous study. The annual study was first issued in 1998.

The highest marks came with 31 women in vice presidential positions during the 2008-09 season, an increase of eight from a year ago.

The NBA slipped slightly from its highest grade for race (96.2 to 94.9), although it again received men's pro sports' only "A'' for a combined grade for race and gender.