I roto i te 2016, Messina tangohia he wa poto o te kore i te San Antonio Spurs, i roto i te tikanga ki te hoki rite te kaiako matua o te Azzurri, ki te whāinga o te tohu mo te 2016 Rio Summer Olympic Game
He aha? I whakangungu a Messina i Itari i te 2016 Turin FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament. I te whakataetae tohu, i hinga a Itari ki a Croatia, na reira kaore i eke ki nga Orimipia Raumati 2016. I whakangungu ano ia i a Itari i te EuroBasket 2017.