SLC Dunk, a Utah Jazz community

John Stockton, the NBA career leader in assists and steals who spent his entire 19-year career with the Utah Jazz, will be named as a new member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Monday.

The official announcement about the Class of 2009 will be made in Detroit, in conjunction with the Final Four.

The Tribune has learned, however, that Stockton received at least 18 votes from the Hall of Fame's 24-member honors committee and will be inducted in September.

Bringing in complementary pieces from the outside who can make a real difference, however, is another altogether.

Williams thinks he can help in that regard, too — even though it wasn't exactly the forte of the Jazz's former franchise point guard, future hall-of-famer John Stockton.

"I don't think John and Karl (Malone) and those guys were as friendly as I (am) as far as 'around the league,"' he said. "Making friends — they didn't really care for that.

"I think I can do a good job of recruiting guys, and trying to get them here, and trying to get over that stereotype that Utah's not a great place to live."

Texas-raised, Williams is making his home in Utah full time now.

It's one more small piece of evidence that he's truly taken stake in the franchise, one in which he takes increasing pride.

"I feel like I'm a big part of this organization, and I like that," Williams said. "I like that responsibility."