Bogut slams critics of NBA youngster Exum
Critics of NBA draftee Dante Exum should "pull their heads out" and give the Australian youngster time to develop, says fellow first-round pick Andrew Bogut.
Exum has drawn plenty of attention from fans and detractors alike since being selected by the Utah Jazz with the overall fifth pick in June's draft.
The basketball World Cup in Spain earlier this month was the 19-year-old's first major outing at senior level - and the first time many US pundits had seen him in action.
Although he played in all of Australia's six games, he averaged just 12 minutes and 2.7 points per game with a shooting rate of 33.33 per cent from the field.
Golden State Warriors star Bogut, the No.1 draft pick in 2005, leapt to Exum's defence.
"A lot of people out there that have started to get after him because he didn't play much at the World Cup need to pull their heads out," Bogut told NBA Australia.
"The kid is 19, it's his first major tournament.
"He's had tremendous pressure on him over the last six months, but I believe he'll get there. He just needs to keep working at his game.
"I heard he's a very hard worker so he'll be fine.
"I just laugh at people in the media that are already writing this kid off after one tournament.
"We cannot forget he was drafted on the fact that he was young and he has a chance to be even better.
"There's a lot of people trying to cut him down already which is highly disappointing."
Bogut lauded the efforts of fellow Boomers Ryan Broekhoff and Brock Motum, who earned a contract with the Jazz just before the World Cup to bring the number of Australians in the NBA to seven.
"We're almost at 10 so it's a great time for Australian basketball," said Bogut.
"It keeps getting better so hopefully we can keep producing the level were producing at.
"The next step is to get that elusive medal at a major championship - whether it's at the Olympics or at a World Cup."
