In 2017, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were getting ready to defend their title against the Golden State Warriors. This was the third time both teams were facing each other in the finals. It turned into the biggest rivalry in modern-day basketball. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Cavaliers failed to retain their title as the Warriors went on to win their second in three years. That wasn’t the only problem James had to deal with.
Before the start of the series, the 4x MVP’s House was vandalized by haters. According to numerous sources, the N-word, a racial slur was spray painted on his house. Luckily his family was safe but LeBron James wasn’t too happy about the incident.
“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,” he said during a press conference. “We got a long way to go for us as a society and for us, as African Americans until we feel equal in America,” he concluded.
He also expressed how relieved he was that his family was unharmed by the vandals. James’ disappointment in society was at an all-time high. But the vandalizing didn’t stop there.
A $300 offer from a fan left LeBron James’ mural smeared with paint
LeBron James arrived in Los Angeles after another unsuccessful season following the incident. Many fans glorified the King’s presence in LA but the Lakers‘ fan base is a tough one to gel with. James learned of their nature very soon after a massive mural of his in Venice, California was smeared with white paint. Footage of the vandal in action was acquired from a Baby Blues BBQ CCTV Camera.
#BREAKING: This is the video of vandal defacing @KingJames mural at stroke of midnight this am in #Venice. Video from @BabyBluesBBQ surveillance cam. @Lakers @NBCLA. pic.twitter.com/gNPeUrF8fW
— Robert Kovacik (@RobertNBCLA) July 12, 2018
According to the Bleacher Report, the vandal also included the word “We don’t want you” on the mural. It was later revealed that another fan on Instagram offered the public $300 to ruin the massive mural of James. Ultimately, that LeBron James hater got what they wanted. The fan that proposed the deal also gave out the exact address of the mural.
Lakers fans were cold towards LeBron and he wasn’t well-received by everybody. To his disappointment, the Lakers would fall short of playoff contention as well. The following season, they would trade for Anthony Davis and they managed to win the NBA title. James won the Finals MVP award and demanded he got the respect her deserved. However, LA fans continued to criticize him for capitalizing on the bubble.
