Amare Stoudemire will be absent from the New York Knicks’ Monday night game against the Utah Jazz due to the sudden death of his brother, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni has confirmed. Stoudemire is currently traveling to Florida to be with his family and it is unclear when he will return to New York.
Stoudemire’s older brother, Hazell Stoudemire, died just before 2 a.m. Monday in a car accident in Lake Wales, Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol says Hazell, 35, was speeding in a Cadillac Escalade on U.S. 27 when he collided with the back of a tractor trailer. Hazell was not wearing a seat belt. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unclear if alcohol was a factor in the crash. Stoudemire has not commented.
"My thoughts and prayers and everything is with him. Whatever time he needs to take, he'll take. And we'll get him back as soon as possible,” D’Antoni said. “I know he's very close to his brother so my heart goes out to him. He cherishes his family. He does a great job of maintaining all the relationships. It's just a trying moment for him."
No other details have been released.
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