AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Detroit Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars announced today that the club has signed free-agent forward/center Chris Webber to a contract. Per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.
“We are pleased to have acquired a veteran player with the credentials that Chris Webber brings,” Dumars said. “Chris has been an all-star caliber player in the league for a long time and we feel that he will help strengthen our front-line while providing stability and leadership on the court and in the locker room.”
In 779 career NBA games Webber has averaged 21.4 points, 10.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 blocks in 37.8 minutes. In 18 games (all as a starter) with Philadelphia this season, he averaged 11.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 30.2 minutes. His career average of 21.4 points is seventh-best among active NBA players and he is one of only five active NBA players to boast career-averages of 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds. Webber has spent the past two-plus years in Philadelphia following seasons with Sacramento (six-plus years), Washington (four years) and Golden State (one year). The 6-foot-10, 245-pounder earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors and was named to the NBA All-Rookie first team with the Warriors in 1993-94 after averaging 17.5 points and 9.1 rebounds that season. During his time with Sacramento, Webber made six consecutive trips to the NBA Playoffs, earned All-NBA first team honors in 2001, All-NBA second team honors in 1999, 2002 and 2003 and earned All-NBA third team honors in 2000. The five-time NBA all-star averaged a career-high 27.1 points during the 2000-01 NBA season.
In 64 career playoff games Webber has averages of 20.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.30 blocks in 39.0 minutes. Webber reached the Western Conference Finals with Sacramento in the 2002 NBA Playoffs, losing to the L.A. Lakers in seven games.
The Detroit native was selected by the Orlando Magic with the No. 1 overall pick in the first round of the 1993 NBA Draft. His draft rights were traded by the Magic to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for the draft rights to Anfernee Hardaway and 1996, 1998 and 2000 first round draft choices. Detroit will mark the fifth stop as Webber enters his 14th season in the NBA. Webber played two years of college basketball at University of Michigan as a member of the “Fab-Five,” reaching the 1992 NCAA Championship Game and was named The Sporting News All-America first team in 1993. He prepped locally in metro Detroit at Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, MI).