According to TMZ, LeBron James' second home in Los Angeles, California, was vandalized on Wednesday morning at around 6-7am Eastern Time. A statement by the police states that a Racial Slur was painted onto the gate of the Brentwood neighborhood mansion. Very soon after, it was covered by property management. Police are continuing to investigate the crime, calling it a hate crime.
King James bought this luxurious house in 2015 for a large sum of $21 million dollars. The home covers almost 10,000 square feet of land. While this isn't LeBron's main home, it's more of a holiday home for him.
Rarely during the season, unless he travels to Los Angeles for games against the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, does he stay at this residence. But it is still his house, and he still feels a certain way when someone graffiti's it. LeBron was not in or near his LA home at the time that the incident took place, but he still spoke about the event.
LeBron talks about the incident
King James used this tragic event as a reason to shed light on racism, and to make a statement about the modern-day attitude toward it. James stated, "Hate in America, especially for African-Americans, is living every day." The Chosen One continued to speak about the topic of racism, and whether or not it has subsided over the years, saying: “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,” LeBron said.
“And we’ve got a long way to go for us as a society and for us as African-Americans until we feel equal.” (BBC).
LeBron certainly does honor the change in attitude of people in the United States of America when it comes to the topic of race. But, also suggests that the country has a long way to go before they reach racial acceptance.
As a leader in the African-American community, he will continue to make it his duty to make strides in the right direction.
Will it be a distraction?
Could this event become a distraction for LeBron James, who is heading into Game 1 of the NBA Finals for the seventh straight year? Or will it do quite the opposite, and add extra fuel to his already heavily filled tank?
To get the answer to this question, I guess we will just have to wait and see.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors tips off on Thursday night. Everyone is ready to watch this series unfold. And, if this unfortunate event gives King James extra motivation, it should be fun to watch.
