The 1995–96 NBA season was the eighth season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association. The Heat had the tenth pick in the 1995 NBA draft, and selected Kurt Thomas out of Texas Christian University. Under new head coach Pat Riley, the Heat would be restructured. On the first day of the regular season, which began on November 3, they acquired All-Star center Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets. With the addition of Mourning along with the offseason acquisition of Rex Chapman from the Washington Bullets, the Heat won 11 of their first 14 games, but then lost 23 of their next 34 games, holding a 22–26 at the All-Star break.