Matthew Stasyna is a nostalgic guy. So when new Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Tim Leiweke mused that he would consider a rebrand and a logo change for the Toronto Raptors, the 30-year-old graphics designer knew what he wanted it to look like: It had to be the original dino.

“I remember sitting in the 500 section watching Tracy Murray hitting threes,” said Stasyna, a diehard Raptors fan and blogger recalling the NBA team’s pre-1999 home in the SkyDome that housed the expansion team launched in 1995.

Stasyna blocked off eight hours to brainstorm and design several logos when the Toronto Star invited readers to submit their ideas.

His “dual-bite” design with a predominately black jersey and red trim was the unanimous choice with a panel of three judges assembled to rank the more than 150 designs submitted by readers from professional artists to second graders.

Amir Johnson, the Raptors forward in Toronto last week for a youth basketball camp at Humber College, called the design “masculine.” Menswear designer Christopher Bates pointed to a strong logo design that carried Stasyna’s concept to the top.

The Star’s resident basketball reporter, Doug Smith, looked on and nodded.

Dressed in shorts, low-cut chucks and ankle socks, Smith agreed with the 26-year-old NBAer and the 34-year-old designer trained in Milan — the dual-bite was head and shoulders above the rest.

“I’m just kind of overwhelmed right now,” Stasyna said when he heard the news. “I’m excited. I really hope they move forward with the jerseys.

“I think it speaks to the past because I think whoever designed the original dinosaur did an amazing job,” said Stasyna.

Johnson said he also prefers the original dinosaur, something he thought kids would like to draw.

“The main thing I like about this jersey is the detail they did with the two Raptors heads,” Johnson said.

The popular Raptor was a bit of an artist himself, drawing South Park characters as a kid.

“I think overall the jersey looks very masculine with all black and the colours. They just did a great job with everything,” Johnson said.

“I think this would be an unbelievable new logo, new look for the team.”

Bates reinforced the strong logo design from Stasyna.

“They had a really cohesive design and focused design — and I think that’s really important, especially for a team uniform that needs that kind of iconic strong logo. And this one had it,” Bates said.

“The logo in itself actually looked like a maple leaf in a whole. If that was intentional, it was brilliant.”

Stasyna said it wasn’t entirely front of mind, more a product of layering the jersey over a maple leaf.

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“I don’t think it was intentional. I think it just fit,” said Stasyna.

He submitted several designs, including a Jurassic Park-themed jungle look that the Star’s esteemed judges also liked.

Second place went to Joey Woo for a clean logo on a red and white palette that had claw marks through a basketball, and made use of the current subtleties of the Raptors branding, including the basketball paw print.

Kevin Greene took third place with a double-blue throwback to the original basketball club in town, the Toronto Huskies, circa 1947.

Tushar Basu’s design with a claw slash through a red stripe took fourth while Mohammad Saeed had the fifth favourite design, with a red stripe down the side of a black jersey.

Other entries of note included the Toronto Towers, the Maple Leafs, the Ice and even the Ponies. Even a team called the Gravy Trains was suggested to the Star.

The Star invited readers to use their imagination and submit designs, either keeping the Raptors name or coming up with a new one in time for the team’s 20th anniversary season in 2015-16 if MLSE decided to make a change.

It was a popular talking point with Star readers. In June, head coach Dwane Casey surprised Tom Veenstra’s Grade 7/8 class at Market Lane Junior and Public School on The Esplanade. His students had taken up the challenge as a school project, and the coach made sure he had time for the 12- and 13-year-olds.

It was obvious that readers spent a lot of time in their designs. While there were a few jabs, the top designs that made it to the judges were something fans should be proud of, says designer Bates.

“Overall I though the calibre of the designs was really high,” Bates said.

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A sample of other designs sent in by Star readers