Dirk Nowitzki knew how to be a sure hit on live German TV, combining his own appeal to his compatriots with the magic of the equally loved David Hasselhoff, by way of a guitar and his vocal chops on Wednesday.

The Dallas Mavericks star guested on "My Spass" hosted by Stefan Raab and, when the host brought guitars on set, they sang "Looking for Freedom" to a clapping crowd, TMZ Sports reported.

It would seem peculiar in the United States to see anyone jamming to the former "Baywatch" actor's foray into music, Fox Sports said, but it explained that elsewhere, especially in Germany, it was a staple song. It hit No. 1 in the country's boards in 1989, it added.

Pro Basketball Talk  further explained that "Looking for Freedom" continued as a huge hit in the country until 1990, noting that it struck a heartstring with the Germans at a time when the East and West were transitioning into one unified state. Hasselhoff performed it live at the Berlin Wall while it was being demolished, it added.

"It's amazing," the report said of the cover, adding that Nowitzki began to play "More Than Words" by Extreme but did not continue.

The Dallas Morning News is on the other side of the fence on the performance, however. It said the power forward performed a "not-quite-a-classic" with Raab, who is apparently a musician and producer, and ended with: "Good luck getting this [the singing starts at the 2:30 mark] out of your head the rest of the day."

Nowitzki is guesting at German talk shows promoting a newly released documentary about him, Pro Basketball Talk said.

According to a report by WFAA.com, the NBA superstar was in Germany with several Dallas Mavericks teammates--including center Tyson Chandler, guards Monta Ellis and Devin Harris and head coach Rick Carlisle--to attend the premiere of the documentary titled "Nowitzki: Der Perfekte Wurf," which in English means "Nowitzki: The Perfect Shot." 

The documentary is directed by Sebastian Dehnhardt and explores the 7-footer's journey from the 1998 Drafts to his present-day haul of 12-time All-Star selections, with special focus on the 2011 NBA Championship, it added. Now 36, Nowitzki was the 2007 NBA MVP and is 10th in the league history in points. He returned to Dallas on a three-year $30-million deal.

The docu "covers the story of Nowitzki's rise to the peaks of fame starting off at one of Germany's regional basketball leagues. It's the story of the fascinating relationship with Holger Geschwindner, his discoverer, coach and mentor. The physicist recognized young Dirk Nowitzki's talent early on and, with a mix of ambitious daring and scientific precision, led him all the way to the top," explains IMDb.

Per the movie review website, there are 21 people appearing in the documentary, including Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant and President Barack Obama.