Williams told Schuhman how he's enjoying learning from Kidd, long his hero. "He's a guy that I grew up trying to emulate, trying to be like as a kid," Williams told NBA.com. "And it's kind of surreal right now to be playing on the same team as him, playing under his wing and learning from him.

"He gives me little pointers here and there," Williams said, using the example of a chest pass he'd thrown "when I should have made a bounce pass. (Kidd) came over and told me, 'Drop it down low. There's not as many hands to get through.' He's just helping me out."

Kidd told Schuhman that Williams asks questions and is "very observant."

"You can always learn," Williams said. "I think there's a lot of maturing I can do as far as being a leader on my team."

Sports Illustrated also has nice words for Williams, naming him No. 2 behind Chicago's Luol Deng and ahead of Minnesota's Al Jefferson in its top 10 list of "players on the verge of stardom."

Sportsillustrated.com said of Williams, "Having established himself on the big stage, and with the Jazz expected to contend again in the West, Williams should have the profile needed to make the All-Star team."

FREE FOOD: SI had a bit on Williams' Jazz running-mate Carlos Boozer, noting he is a big fish in Utah. "You are more magnified," Boozer said of life in Utah compared to when he played in Cleveland. "When you go out, everybody knows who you are. In Cleveland you could be more anonymous. I get comped at so many restaurants here, though, so I'm not complaining."

FESS: The contract that second-rounder Kyrylo Fesenko signed with the Jazz Wednesday has not yet received full clearance from FIBA and the NBA, though there's no reason to think it won't be completely approved by next week.

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E-mail: lham@desnews.com