In Los Angeles, police say someone spray-painted the N-word on a gate outside the home of NBA superstar LeBron James Wednesday. The hate crime came just one day before James and his Cleveland Cavaliers are set to take on the Golden State Warriors in the NBA finals. Speaking to reporters in Oakland, James said the incident was a reminder that being black in America is “tough.”

LeBron James: “And I think back to Emmett Till’s mom. Actually, it was kind of one of the first things I thought of. And the reason that 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. So it’s like it doesn’t—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—it’s tough.”