The veteran point guard had a message for his critics this weekend and didn’t hold back his feelings about taking the next step in his career with the Timberwolves, saying he’s motivated to show he can still play.

“This is how I feel about it, the whole perspective on it,” Rose said, via ESPN.com. “You could have your perspective on me, as far as I’m a bum, I can’t play, I can’t shoot, this and that, all right, cool, I have no hard feelings with that. I’m cool with that. [If] that’s how you feel, that’s how you feel, but at the same time, I don’t need your f—ing validation.

Because he cleared waivers prior to the March 1 deadline, however, Rose signed with Minnesota on Thursday and will be able to suit up if they make the playoffs.

“I feel like I don’t have to prove anything,” Rose said. “It’s more me being happy with playing basketball and knowing that I gave it my all. And I walked away from it whenever I choose to walk away from it. This next phase in my life is preparing me for life after basketball, but while I’m in it, basketball is my everything. I never think about nothing else. I don’t got a foundation, I don’t got all these things that other players have because basketball is my No. 1.

“I feel like you can’t love two things at once; the way I love basketball and how much I sacrificed for the game, I’m all in. I’m all in until the day I retire or whenever that day [comes when] I go away from the game. I’m all in.”

Rose, 29, has only played in 16 games this season due to an ankle injury and has averaged just 9.8 points per game with 1.8 rebounds and 1.6 assists. The 2010-11 MVP has been derailed by a number of injuries in recent years but is eager to show he’s still got game.

Rose is, and will always be Mr. Glass.  He’s made so much money playing basketball, so don’t feel bad for him. He’s done pretty well for a guy who failed the ACT’s three times