The transition for Warsaw, Indiana native Marshall Plumlee to the bright lights of New York City had quite the shock factor throughout the rookie year of his NBA career. While the New York Knicks center gave his black and red Mini Cooper Countryman a shot — one of the few vehicles that can accommodate a 7-foot man — but ultimately decided that wasn't for him.
Instead, the Duke product has opted to rely on car pool rides and public transportation to get from his White Plains pad to the heart of Madison Square Garden for work.
“Not wanting to deal with driving in the city was a factor, but that wasn't the only factor,” Plumlee told Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report. “I realized early on the train was really convenient, and that I could save on gas, and also that my teammates didn't mind taking me.”
“It's a great opportunity to talk to teammates about the life, the season. I really look forward to the rides now.”
New York City is one of the hardest cities to navigate by car, due to its heavy traffic and chaotic nature, making every ride quite the interesting/frustrating experience.
Fellow rookies Ron Baker and Mindaugas Kuzminskas are some of Plumlee's usual drivers, while assistant coach Corey Gaines, who lives in the same building as him, occasionally gets called on as well.
“Marshall's not really a city driver. He's afraid to take his little go-kart out into the city,” Baker said. “But he's got good teammates who step in and give him rides. I actually don't mind driving him.”
The 24-year-old Plumlee had done his best to be a good passenger, bringing snacks, which he buys from a local health store and sometimes even splurging on larger gifts.
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