"Hazell Stoudemire was a big brother in every sense of the word and not just because he was such a big man.

When Knicks star Amar'e Stoudemire was a baby, it was Hazell who would heat up his bottle on the stove, his uncle, Earnest Stoudemire told the Post last night.

"Hazell was the one who nurtured Amar'e,'' said Earnest, 64, a retired major on the Lake Wales police department. Earnest is a brother of Stoudemire's late father, Hazell Sr.

Hazell Jr. kept Amar'e away from trouble, the same trouble that often would find Hazell.

Hazell, 35, was killed in a car accident early this Monday morning on nearby U.S. 27 when his Cadillac Escalade ran into the back of a tractor-trailer. The Cadillac was traveling at a high rate of speed, and Hazell was not wearing his seat belt, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Hazell, five years older than Amar'e, always looked out for his younger brother, warning Amar'e to stay away from dangerous situations.

"Hazell was a big man in every way, and not just because he stood 6-foot-10,'' said Prophet Jermaine Shepard Sr., 31, a close friend of the family who will deliver the eulogy today at Hazell's funeral. "He had some challenges growing up and even throughout his adult life, but I did feel that he had a spiritual connection. He had great insight on the Bible, very intellectual. He was often misjudged and misunderstood.''"