LeBron James was the victim of an apparent hate crime Wednesday morning when a racial slur was written in graffiti on the front gate of his L.A. home, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed. 
The vandalism occurred just one day before James and his team Cleveland Cavaliers played their seventh straight NBA Finals. Should the Cavaliers win the championship, it would be James’s fourth NBA championship trophy, his second for the Cavaliers.
Earlier this week, an LAPD officer confirmed that James, whose primary residence is in Akron, Ohio, was not present at the house when the vandalism happened. The officer also reported that the graffiti has since been covered up by the property management.
At a press conference on Wednesday, James addressed the vandalism.
“If this is going to shed light and continue to keep the conversation about race in America going on my behalf, then I’m okay with it. But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America”, James said.
“No matter how much money you have, no matter how famous you are, no matter how many people admire you, being black in America is tough. We got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal in America”, he further added.
James’s comments echoed statements he made earlier this month in response to Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones receiving racial slurs at a game at Fenway Park.
“It’s not great for sports. It’s not great for society. Racism is gonna be a part of time forever … It’s a real, real longer conversation, but if we can keep the conversation going, I think it helps”, James said back then.
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