LeBron James Talks Vandalism, Racism: Being Black In America Is Tough

The Los Angeles home of LeBron James has become the site of an apparent hate crime just one day before the Cleveland Cavaliers superstar embarks on his seventh straight NBA Finals.

The LAPD has confirmed to HuffPost that authorities were called to James home early Wednesday morning after someone vandalized the front gate of the home. TMZ reports that the vandal spray-painted the word n****r.

James, whose primary residence is in Akron, Ohio, was reportedly not present during the time of the incident. He addressed the incident later on Wednesday at a press conference in anticipation of his eighth finals appearance.

If this is to shed the light and continue to keep the conversation [about race relations] going on my behalf, then Im okay with it, James said. My family is safe. At the end of the day, theyre safe and thats the most important.

But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America. Hate in America, especially for African-Americans, is living every day, he continued. And even though that its concealed most of the time, we know people hide their faces and will say things about you, when they see you they smile at your face, its alive every single day.

He then added, 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. And we got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal in America.

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Police are looking into the incident further as investigators sift through available security footage. Property managers at the home have already covered up the graffiti.