Mailman will make his Hall of Fame delivery next News Utah Jazz

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. ? The famous phrase that kept Utah Jazz fans cheering for 18 years, made opponents scramble for answers and put a twinkle in Hot Rod Hundley's voice needs to be tweaked just a tad. When it comes to induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, it's Stockton-then-Malone.

Karl Malone, who finished off oh-so-many of John Stockton's NBA record number of assists, is a lock to headline the Class of 2010 when he becomes eligible for enshrinement next year. Inseparable at each other's side for 18 seasons, it's only fitting that the dynastic duo will be forever joined at the hoop haven. Just imagine the extra hype-and-hoopla the Hall of Fame would've had this past weekend ? when Stockton was inducted along with Michael Jordan, David Robinson, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer ? if The Mailman hadn't changed his postal code for a year to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. Stockton, obviously, has forgiven him for his ring-seeking detour, which delayed Malone's own Hall of Fame arrival by a year. "He was our best player for 18 seasons and drew a lot of attention. I wish he was here tonight drawing a little bit of attention ... it's mighty lonely up here," Stockton said during his enshrinement speech Friday night. "But I'm going to save this tuxedo and press it up for next year." Reminiscent of the back-to-back Jazz -Bulls NBA Finals in 1997 and '98, next year's Hall of Fame ceremonies will have a strong Utah-Chicago presence. Scottie Pippen is also due to be eligible, and Jordan's sidekick for six championships will also undoubtedly be another first-ballot selection. Don't be surprised if Pippen reminds Malone that The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays, like he once famously did during the '97 Finals. Though Malone and Stockton didn't get past Pippen and Jordan to win a title, the honorary postal employee put his stamp on one of the most dominant and impressive careers in NBA history. While emphatically putting the POW! in the power forward position, the 6-foot-9, 265-pound physical specimen finished his 19-year career as the league's second-most prolific scorer ever behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Between 1985 and 2004, the two-time NBA MVP and 14-time All-Star racked up 36,928 points and a whopping 14,968 rebounds. Though they were quite different ? Stockton coming from a Pacific Northwestern background and Malone hailing from Louisiana being just one of many differences ? the two were a perfectly matched pair. They combined to make one of the most productive shipping-and-receiving combinations Basketball has ever seen. "Everybody would have great synergy with Karl Malone. The guy, he's just such a phenomenal athlete," Stockton recalled this weekend. "He'd catch the ball if you throw it at his shoelaces. If you'd try to throw it over the backboard, he can go get it there. Furthermore, he'll catch it and then complete the play with three guys draped on him. "His impact on my career and on my teammates' careers is really immeasurable, it's off the charts." Best part for Stockton is that they jelled on and off the court. "As a friend, we've learned so much about each other. We come from two different environments, two different worlds and meshed quickly and continuously for a long, long time," Stockton added. "(He's) a great friend and I'm thrilled to have spent nearly my whole career with him." Stockton stood up for Malone's reputation during his Hall of Fame speech, too. He politely disagreed with Robinson, who said Spurs teammate Tim Duncan ranked first among the league's best fours. The Jazz great laughed while telling them that Malone, who wasn't able to attend Hall of Fame festivities due to a family illness, is "the greatest power forward to have ever played the game." No disrespect meant, of course. Their Hall of Fame coach certainly agrees. Jerry Sloan was impressed that Malone turned his raw talent into a brute force. His improvement at the free-throw line might've been even more impressive than how he added so much muscle mass. "Karl Malone, he made himself a Hall of Fame player," Sloan said. "Karl Malone helped Karl Malone, and that's the thing that has always amazed me. He changed his body. He did all the things to try to make himself better." Now the bigger half of Stockton-to-Malone just needs to start looking for a tuxedo that fits. Class of 2010? Eligibile newcomers: Mark Jackson, Karl Malone, Scottie Pippen, Bo Ryan, Teresa Weatherspoon Still waiting: Cynthia Cooper, Sylvia Hatchell, Rebecca Lobo, Rick Pitino, Gregg Popovich, Dennis Rodman, Rudy Tomjanovich Source: ESPN.com e-mail: jody@desnews.com