BRENTWOOD—NBA star LeBron James had his Brentwood home vandalized on Wednesday, May 31 with a racial slut spray-painted on the front of the gate into his home. TMZ Sports first broke news of the incident. The Los Angeles Police Department arrived on the scene of the home on the 200 block of Rockingham Avenue after 6:45 a.m.

Vandals spray-painted the “N-Word” on the gate of the home. Authorities are reviewing security footage from the home and neighborhood in hopes of catching the vandals. Officials from the LAPD West Los Angeles Division are investigating the incident. James was not at home when the incident transpired. James spoke to the media on Wednesday during a news conference about the incident.

“As I sit here on the eve of one of the greatest sporting events that we have in sports, race and what is going on comes again, and on my behalf and my family’s behalf. If this is to shed the light and to keep the conversation going I’m okay with it. My family is safe, and again that is the most important. This just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, part of America. Hate in America, especially for African-Americans is living every day.”

James added, “Even though it’s concealed most of the time, people hide their faces, say things about you, but when they see you they smile in your face. It’s alive every day. I think back to Emmett Till’s mom, it’s actually the first thing I thought off. The reason she had an open casket is because she wanted to show the world what her son went through as far as a hate crime and being Black in America. 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.”

The athlete purchased the home for around $20 million in 2015. The home is 9,440 square feet.

The NBA star is currently preparing for Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors which will be held on Thursday, June 1 and televised live on ABC starting at 9 p.m. EST from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.