 Nyorai kupfuurira kweiyi ndima - Yaizova mwaka wa199697 umo Rice aizowana musiyano wemutambi wepamusoro mumutambo. MaHornets akanga awana vatambi vane ruzivo Vlade Divac naAnthony Mason uye vakanga vasisiri kuratidza Johnson, uyewo kuhaya mutungamiri mutsva uye nhoroondo yeNBA Dave Cowens. Rice avhareji 26.8 pfungwa mutambo munguva mwaka, achiisa naye wechitatu ari League mu scoring apo kutungamirira League muna matatu-pfungwa kupfura 47 uye maminitsi vaitamba. Kutamba kwake kwakamupa sarudzo yake yechipiri yakatwasuka yeAll-Star Game, uye pa1997 NBA All-Star Gameakaisa zvinyorwa zveAll-Star zvemunhu oga zvemapoinzi makumi maviri muchikamu chechitatu nemapoinzi makumi maviri nemana muchikamu chechipiri kupedzisa nemapoinzi makumi maviri nematanhatu mumutambo. Kuita kwake 811 kupfura kunosanganisira 45 matatu-pointer kupfura uye mapoinzi ake makumi maviri mukota yechitatu akaputsa rekodhi yemurindi wePhiladelphia Hal Greer 19, yakagadzwa muna 1968. Nokugovera 24 muhafu, Rice akapfuura chiratidzo chapakuvamba che 23, chaiva chaWilt Chamberlain naTom Chambers. Kuita kwaRice kwakanyorwa paNBAs 57 Memorable All-Star Moments. Kuita kwake kwakabatsira Eastern Conference kuhwina mutambo, uye kwakamupa mubairo weNBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award. MaHornets akakunda mitambo makumi mashanu nemana, uye akazviita mu1997 Playoffs kwavakanotsvairwa ne3-0 neNew York Knicks mumutambo wekutanga. 