Dirk Nowitzki experimented with a sidearm delivery prior to his Rangers first pitch

When you get the opportunity to throw out a ceremonial first pitch, you want to do it right. So it makes sense to do some warmups beforehand.

For NBA legend Dirk Nowitzki, though, Wednesday night at Globe Life Park was far from his first rodeo on the mound. Sure, he was going to do a little bullpen work, but he was also going to have plenty of fun with it, too.

For instance, how would a first pitch look from Dirk if he was throwing sidearm?

Yikes. Well, you live and you learn. We can't all be Kent Tekulve.

The fans in attendance for Mavs Night wouldn't have cared anyway. They gave their now-retired hero a huge ovation as he emerged from the dugout ...

... and offered a more standard first-pitch delivery, albeit with a little pizzazz at the end:

Texas loves you, Dirk. Always.