LeBron’s L.A. residence defaced
OAKLAND, Calif. — A day before the start of his seventh straight NBA Finals, LeBron James’ mind was far from focused on basketball and the Golden State Warriors.
He wanted to hug his children and wife back home in Ohio and talk to his two boys directly about racism after a racial slur was spray-painted on the front gate to his house in Los Angeles.
LA police were investigating Wednesday as James and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers prepared for tonight’s Game 1 at Golden State.
Almost a year after James sat in this very place at Oracle Arena addressing the influence of Muhammad Ali following the heavyweight champion's death, James discussed the daily challenges black in the U.S.
“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,” said James, who was visibly shaken. “We have a long way to go for us as a society and for us as AfricanAmericans until we feel equal in America.”
An unidentified person spray-painted the N-word on the front gate of James' home in the Brentwood neighborhood Wednesday morning, said Capt. Patricia Sandoval, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Neither James nor his family was at the home at the time.
The property manager told officers that it is believed the incident was captured on surveillance of being video, Sandoval said. Police are investigating it as an act of vandalism and a possible hate crime.
Someone painted over the slur before officers arrived to investigate, Sandoval said.
“As I sit here on the eve of one of the greatest sporting events that we have in sports, you know, race and what's going on comes again, and on my behalf and my family's behalf. But I mean I look at it as, if this is to shed a light and continuing to keep the conversation going on my behalf, then I'm OK with it,” James said. “My family is safe, they're safe and that's the most important. But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America. You know hate in America, especially for AfricanAmericans, is living every day.”