LeBron James On Racist Graffiti At His House: "No Matter How Famous You Are...Being Black In America Is Tough"

Police are investigating a racial slur spray painted this morning on the front gate of a Los Angeles house owned by LeBron James, who prepares for tomorrow’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals. At his press conference this afternoon, James addressed the incident for the first time.

Selected quotes:

“Race comes again...I look at it as, if this it to shed the light and keep the conversation going, then on my behalf, I’m OK with it.” James brought up the decision of the mother of Emmett Till to hold an open-casket funeral “because she wanted to show the world what her son went through...being black in America.”

“Racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America. Hate in America, especially for African-Americans, is living every day. Even though that it’s concealed most of the time.”

“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.”

“We’ve got a long way to go for us as a society, and for us as African-Americans, until we feel equal in America.”