The hair is a lot shorter and displays streaks of gray, but the originator of the slogan “Fear the ‘Fro” is officially back with the team he once energized with spectacular defensive play.

Ben Wallace, 34, re-signed with the Pistons this morning after leaving the franchise in the summer of 2006 for a four-year, $60-million deal with the Chicago Bulls.

In the three seasons since, as a member of the Bulls and then the Cavaliers, Wallace never came close to the heights he achieved with Detroit, where he was a four-time defensive player of the year as well as the face of a franchise that built an entire marketing campaign around him.

“I’m excited to have an opportunity to come back here,” Wallace said. “I think my career really took a turn for the best when I came here and now I have an opportunity to come back.”

Wallace was originally acquired by the Pistons, along with Chucky Atkins, in exchange for Grant Hill as part of a sign-and-trade deal with Orlando in 2000. He then signed with Chicago as a free agent in ‘06, and was traded to Cleveland last February.

Last month he was again traded, this time to the Suns as part of the deal that landed center Shaquille O’Neal in Cleveland. At that point, Wallace seriously contemplated retiring after 13 seasons.

“I was really contemplating on whether that was going to be my last year or not,” Wallace said. “But I continued to work out and continued to play in the gym and I got the itch to play again.”

And after looking around the league, he felt the best place for him was the Pistons. He is back for the veteran’s minimum of $1.3 million, but it’s felt his experience could help a young team.

“Ben played an integral part in the success of the franchise from 2001-06 and we feel there is a role for him on our team this season,” Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in a release.

“His size and experience will provide depth in the front court while his work ethic and commitment to winning will help our club throughout the year.”