AUBURN HILLS, MICH. ? Video boards outside The Palace lit up the message, “Welcome Home Chris” Tuesday afternoon.

Inside the home of the Detroit Pistons, Chris Webber signed a prorated contract for the veteran’s minimum in the hopes of adding a championship to his NBA resume.

“This is definitely special, I never thought I would be a Detroit Piston,” Webber said at a news conference. “I’m here in the summer, but being home with this team makes me feel good.”

The five-time All-Star, who grew up in Detroit and played at Michigan, became a free agent after Philadelphia cut ties with him by buying out the final 11â2 years of his contract last week.

“He embodies everything we try to stand for as a basketball team and as an organization. He is what we want to be about. People of his character, his background, his upbringing, those are the kind of people we want to bring to the Detroit Pistons,” said Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars. “He’s more than just a basketball player. There’s an obvious connection to Detroit, and I’m proud to say he’s more than back home, he’s with the Detroit Pistons.”

Webber will make about $650,000 to play the rest of the season with an Eastern Conference power. He agreed to give the 76ers $2 million this season and $2 million next season when he was due to make about $43 million over the two years.

Detroit brought Webber home, keeping him away from Eastern Conference rival Miami and the Los Angeles Lakers.

After committing to the Pistons on Monday, Webber watched them play Minnesota in a front-row seat at The Palace. He was greeted by a rousing, standing ovation.

It was a much warmer welcome than Webber had received previously because of his involvement with deceased Michigan booster Ed Martin that led to NCAA sanctions.

“I think the reaction in the past was different for a lot of reasons, things I’ve gone through, but yesterday was significant because they welcomed me back home,” Webber said.

When asked about the booster scandal, Webber replied: “Today, I’m talking about being a Detroit Piston. I don’t think this is the forum to talk about something that happened 15 years ago,” he said.