On the eve of the 2017 NBA Finals, Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James wasn’t answering questions about the Golden State Warriors or passing Michael Jordan to become the all-time NBA Playoffs scorer— he’s addressing hatred and racism in America.
James’ Los Angeles home was vandalized early Wednesday morning when the n-word was spray-painted on the front gate.
Preparing for Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Oakland, Calif. on Thursday night, James was not home at the time of the incident.
In an interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols, James said he wasn't surprised that such a hateful act happened to him because he knows what it means to be black in America.
"For me to be sitting here on the eve of the Finals, one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and have to answer questions about racism, it just lets me know that it's still here and we should all know that,” James said. “And if it takes for someone to spray-paint my gate and use that derogatory term, that hate on my family to shed a light on what the real issue is in the world, than so be it."
During Finals media availability on Wednesday, James said his family is safe following the incident.
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