On Wednesday, just a day before the first game of the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers, reports surfaced that the home of Cavs star LeBron James had been vandalized with a racial slur.

Later in the same day, during media availability, James addressed the incident with a statment:

"Sitting here on the eve of one of the greatest sporting events that we have in sports, race and what's going on comes again -- and on my behalf and my family's behalf. But, I mean, I look at it as if this is to shed a light and continue to keep the conversation going on my behalf, then I'm OK with it. My family's safe, and that's the most important. But it just goes to show that racism will always be a part of the world, a part of America.

"Hate, in America, especially for an African-American, is living every day. Even though it's concealed most of the time -- people will hide their faces and will say things about you and then when they see you they smile in your face -- it's alive every single day. And I think back to Emmitt Till's mom, actually. It's 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 the 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've got a long way to go for us as a society, and for us as African-Americans, until we feel equal in America. But, my family is safe and that's what's important."

You can listen to James' full comments below.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.