 Complete the following phrase:  It would be the 199697 season in which Rice would earn the distinction of an elite player in the league. The Hornets had acquired veteran players Vlade Divac and Anthony Mason and no longer featured Johnson, and also hiring a new head coach and NBA legend Dave Cowens. Rice averaged 26.8 points a game during the season, placing him third in the league in scoring while leading the league in three-point shooting 47 and minutes played. His play earned him his second straight All-Star game election, and at the 