Hot Sauce: The Humility Behind the Handles

A streetball legend walks into Kalihi and doesn’t ask for a red carpet. We sit down with Philip “Hot Sauce” Champion, the face so many fans still associate with the AND1 era, and we get past the mixtape mythology to hear the true arc: daily work in the mirror, a season of trouble, and the wild moment his signature moves got him noticed even while he was locked up. He explains how quickly life can flip when you’re prepared, and why he never tried to reshape himself to fit a league mold. 

From there, we go deeper than highlights. Hot Sauce talks about humility as a decision, not a personality trait, and what it means to show up for kids who come from tough neighborhoods. We connect that to Hawaii youth basketball, where travel, tournament fees, and limited island schedules make access hard, especially after COVID. Coach Momo breaks down how Team Here We Go runs like an ohana, how fundraising and nonprofit partners help cover costs, and why bringing a big name to a local camp can unite an entire basketball community. 

Then the conversation turns unexpectedly personal and practical when Portia Champion joins us. She shares how podiatry “chose” her through mentorship and repeated signs, why foot and ankle care matters more than most athletes admit, and how she and Hot Sauce balance structure with spontaneity in real life. We close by naming our “aloha heroes” and honoring the family members who made the road possible. 

If you care about streetball culture, AND1 history, youth mentorship, and building character alongside skill, press play, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review. What part of Hot Sauce’s story hits you the hardest?

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Transcript

Welcome And The Big Surprise

SPEAKER_03 0:14

We are going for the Chi Who Champions today in the house. I am so stoked to have an international legend and game changer. I will tell you that Auntie Don was a huge fan of Michael Jordan growing up. I was in high school when he was winning all the rings for both hands. Yes, you. I see you, LeBron fans. But my guy was winning all of that. And then this guy over here, Coach Momo, comes up to me and says, nah, we got somebody who is bigger than as far as street ball and one, bigger than MJ, bigger than Iverson, bigger than Steph Curry. I'm like, bruh. And he got the guy. Welcome to you, Velena Mai. Aloha my hot summas. Aloha. Thank you. Aloha. And then of course we have Coach Momo, who is here from the team Hill. I kind of hit a little falsetto on that one, but it's still good. That's how you say it, right? Perfect. Thank you, sir. And you grew up here in Hawaii, and you're stoked to invite Hot Sauce Came for a camp that was just done. Why are you doing what you're doing? Let's just be upfront about it.

SPEAKER_00 1:21

Well, you know, I'm just blessed to be uh able to grow up in Hawaii. Yes, you. I found my niche playing sports. Yeah. Um, basketball has been part of my life for years. You know, played on the west side, played on the town, you know, and I'm coaching in town. And uh I've been uh talking with Sauce for about four years, off and on, you know, off and on to try to, you know, connect.

SPEAKER_03 1:47

How did you guys link up? Because I went and I'm sorry, I'm a little bit older. I was explaining to Sir Hot Sauce here, and so I was caught off guard, but then I start watching all the videos. You are Mr. An Wan, you're Mr. Street Ball. You're I saw men, manly men fangirling all over you online, and I'm like, bro, how coach Mo did you link up with a sauce?

SPEAKER_00 2:09

Yeah, we've been we were talking for about four years, and uh he's so busy, he travels and playing all the ball, and finally, you know, he took time out of his uh his schedule, fast forward to where we are now, and that's beautiful, you know. Um and of course, I just been we've all been fans for a long time. I'm I'm still at shock, you know. I'm really calm right now, but really inside I I can't believe it, you know.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

It's massive. I seriously had to get educated. And Sir Sauce, I said this before we started, and welcome to you and your beautiful bride, Portia came with you to Hawaii.

SPEAKER_04 2:41

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 2:42

But I was watching all these videos about you, and and as I said, fangirling, but I was in church yesterday, and I told my nephew, who's like 6'3, I said, Oh yeah, we're we got this guy coming. His name is Hot Sauce, and I don't really know who he is, but I'm so grateful to have him. I guess he's really famous. And he stopped cold, and he's like, No, wait, you got hot sauce, you have the hot sauce, and he made sure it was the right guy, and here you

Hot Sauce Origin Story Begins

SPEAKER_03 3:05

are. He's like, please, Auntie, please can I be in the studio? So thank you for coming. He's right here, he's behind the camera. Okay, okay, he's a big fan, Dylan Pakele. But let me ask you a question, sir. How did you get your start? I really want to know because I've watched the videos. You have a gift from God.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

Well, I didn't know. I thought what I had was normal, and you know, but everybody else thought it was something extraordinary.

SPEAKER_03 3:31

It's a gift from God. I don't say that lightly. I love the living God. I can see when it's an anointed gift, right? Coach Mo, you're a church-going man. You're over at ICFG. Those are my brother and sister. I've Al, I've IFCC, Al and Misty Tufono. They are people of God. And when we call it out, we really mean it. You have a gift from God. I mean, you stop people in the audiences. They're running up after you do a play, they're jumping up cheering for you. It's unreal.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

Well, what I thought was normal, you know, to everybody else wasn't normal. Yes. I thought I was just, you know, in the mirror dribbling every day, and you know, just playing, just being myself, you know, just just you know, everybody wanted me to play. I was like, nah, I'm gonna just go over here in the mirror and just dribble.

SPEAKER_03 4:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

And every people thought I was crazy. And they thought I was like, why are you always dribbling? Every time they come to the gym, they see me dribbling and stuff like that. And then fast forward a few l few years later, you know, I got better and better, you know, over the summer and stuff like that. And then um, you know, of course, me being a knucklehead, getting in trouble and stuff like that. You know, I I went to jail, and and that's when Anne One came around. And during that time, you know, it was based out of New York.

SPEAKER_04 4:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:40

And they decide to, you know, go city to city to find new talent instead of just guys out of like Rucker Park and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_03 4:48

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

And uh during that time I was in jail and they was doing trials for like a month. And when they went to Atlanta, they was like, uh we looking for guys with handles, hops, you know, guys who could jump out of the gym and guys who got game or whatever. And uh some of the guys was doing my moves and they were about they was about to get picked up and put on the team, but the guys was like, nah, I understand. Like we we copying this dude and they sauce. So they were like, Where's this dude and they saucer? And and uh they found out I was in jail and they went and got me out. And then the the next day For real? Next day I got out of jail was my very first game. I didn't even have to try out, and and I killed every city we went to, and then from there on it was restored. Yes, sir, you killed it.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

And like you said, you've invented so many moves. They name them. I was watching a ton of other videos, and I was like, this is not hot sauce, but it's other guys doing your moves and giving you full credit, by the way. That's the level of respect and credibility you have.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Yeah, those those guys was about to get picked up. They was gonna get signed because the you know, the recruiters was like, Oh man, where you get those moves from? They were like, these hot sauce moves. And they were like, Well, where's hot sauce at? Where are you at? Why then they found out I was in jail and they busted you out.

SPEAKER_03 6:01

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

They got me out.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

Now, how did you parlay that? Because I also watched, and I love this quote that was said about you. It says, He didn't trade his greatness to go into the NFL. You didn't have to like reformulate yourself to f fit into that I'm sorry, NBA. NFL counts too, just kidding. But into the NBA, you didn't have to reformulate your game, you allowed your greatness to be what it is, and you went for it, and you reinvented street game, right? Street ball.

SPEAKER_02 6:28

I wasn't really trying to go to the NBA. I was just, you know, just being myself. I was just trying to, you know, find out who I was at the time, you know, I was just a young, young kid, just living everyday life, looking for a job and stuff like that. Right. Not knowing that I had the talent that I had, you know. It was it was guys coming up to me, you know, I was a nobody, and guys were like, hey, can you show me how to do that movie? You be, you know, if you're doing it on a phone. It's serious. And I'm like, after a while, I'm like, man, people keep coming up to me. I guess what I think is normal is is in all everybody else. So far from the city. This is local. This was local. Right. So fast forward, like once I got on, you know, TV and tapes and stuff like that, the the whole world was in all, like the local guys was in all. But I didn't know it. I'm like, dang, everybody. I'm like, I'm thinking I'm what I got is regular. And you know, come to find out, I I guess it wasn't because everybody, you know, all the kids and even older guys at the time copying my moves and you know, just trying to imitate everything I had.

SPEAKER_03 7:32

Surely, and with all due respect, sir, please know I respect you greatly. Surely you saw other guys on the court and they didn't have what you got. They can't move the way

Stealing Moves Then Building A Motorcycle

SPEAKER_03 7:40

you move, they can't jump the way you jump, they can't do all those things.

SPEAKER_02 7:43

Well, I used to watch, you know, a lot of point guards at the time, you know, uh this guy got this move, so I try to do his move and master it better than him. Yes. So I get like this guy, this guy, this guy, and learn all their moves and turn it into a motorcycle.

SPEAKER_03 7:58

Wow. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 7:59

So it's like grabbing a piece off each bicycle, yes, and turning each piece and turn it into a motorcycle.

Humility Fame And Real Influence

SPEAKER_02 8:05

And and I was the motorcycle.

SPEAKER_03 8:07

Wow. And sir, I just want to say, and this is a side note, and it may not make a big difference for a lot of our generation coming up, but I do believe in the youth that you have um also not just this God-given gift of how to game and how to play, you have a tremendous humility on you. And there are times I have met other celebrities, both on the national level as well as our usually here in Hawaii. I'm a Hawaii broadcaster, but they don't have that same thing that you say. They suddenly know they're better than everybody else. They don't say, Oh, I learned a little bit from so-and-so, and this, I didn't know I was any better. You know, I don't hear that a lot, and I just want to bless you for doing that sauce, because I think that speaks louder than the words you could say or the moves you got. I want to thank you for living that humility. Was that something that's just a part of you, sir?

SPEAKER_02 8:54

Uh well. Did you get raised that way? Yeah, a lot of people forget where they came from.

SPEAKER_03 8:59

That's right.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

And, you know, when I was a nobody at the time, I used to go in the neighborhoods, and all the kids used to try to take the ball from me. So I'll probably have like no more than about three dollars. So I have three dollars and quarters, and I each kid, like, if you take the ball from me, I'll give you a quarter and all that stuff. And later on down the line, it became bigger, and you know, I got big time contracts and stuff like that. But not trying to play for the contracts like later on with the kids trying to make the team and all that stuff, try to make the N1 squad.

SPEAKER_04 9:29

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 9:30

They're trying to make the squad. I was I was being myself and you know.

SPEAKER_03 9:35

And now you are Mr. An 1, as far as I can see. Now I'm gonna pivot just a little bit with what we've just said. You know, I'm talking about your humility, which is on top of a God-given gift to play. I mean, it's beautiful to watch you. I always used to describe MJ Michael Jordan as saying, you know, he looked like it was beatific like ballet. It was he would float, he would, you know, but you have a similar gift, and it's just beautiful to watch you go. Do you understand? And here's my pivot, do you understand the level of influence you have with a young generation looking up to you, idolizing you, making a hero out of you? And I say that in a positive way.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Uh at first I didn't, but you know, now I understand. I understand a lot. You know, I went on tour with Dennis Robin, you know, for the first time, meeting him for the first time, like I guess 2000 2013, something like that. 2013, and I would have shown him clips on the uh on my laptop and stuff, and he was like, Hey, Sauce, come here, let me see that again. Let me see it again. Let me see it. You could do that. You do, you know, he was out of the way. Dennis Rodden's looking at your stuff.

SPEAKER_03 10:41

Yeah, yeah. And did he try to do it too?

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Nah, he was just I was like, show me that again. We're running it back, we're running it back.

SPEAKER_03 10:48

Wow. That's amazing. Now, um, with the how does that change how you play or how you present yourself? You know, when you got here to where we shoot, we're in the middle of Kalihi, which is one of the poorer neighborhoods in the state of Hawaii. We have the highest crime rate in the state, and I understand it's yes, it is. It's kind of a more um down and dirty neighborhood for all of the state of Hawaii, and there's a lot of people packed in, and I love our neighborhood, please know that. But when you arrived, you were waiting on your wife. You know, you are very humble rolling in, you're not all flashing, coming out, and I can see when somebody has a gift of humility versus, you know, when they roll out and they're like, I'm here, I'm balling, where's the red carpet? You came out with a real humility about you. How does being the influencer you are change the way that you present yourself when you go out in public and when you're with the youth?

SPEAKER_02 11:38

Oh, just just be yourself, you know, never forget where you came from. There you go. And I always I never forget where I came from. So the same way I acted before I got on is the same way I act now. And and I I know what I know what it's like to be down.

SPEAKER_03 11:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

So, you know, I always uplift the kids, you know, because I know what uh come from the slums or whatever y'all call it, the hood or whatever. Yes. I always make them feel like they the best thing ever. Thank you. You know, I always dapping them up and say man, you can be better, you're gonna be the best thing. That's all for real. You know, I just like the hype muff and gas muff and stuff like that. Right?

SPEAKER_03 12:12

Yeah, and that makes all that's like breathing into a soul that's just looking for a little bit of encouragement. That's all coming from a man and a man like yourself, sir. I mean, that could just change a life. It could change a destiny, right?

SPEAKER_02 12:26

Talking to a hundred people, as long as you touch that one soul, you got them.

SPEAKER_03 12:30

That's right. I'm never gonna forget that story you just shared about you know, playing for a quarter, and now you're at these contracts with N1. You're the most recognized face in street.

SPEAKER_02 12:39

But N1 ended at 08, but still today, you know, people still recognize me everywhere I go.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

Absolutely, sir. Absolutely, yes. Other than me, the Kupuna auntie, who is like, I got this guy

Bringing Hot Sauce To Hawaii

SPEAKER_03 12:50

sauce coming in the show, and everyone's now begging me for tickets. Right now, Coach Mo, you guys put on a camp with this distinguished gentleman. You are you gonna be doing more of these things now that you got him here? You said you're a big fan, but what are you guys doing with team Here We Go? Here we go.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Well, yeah, we're just basically in the community in Salt Lake. It's really my son and his friends from they've been friends from first grade. Yes, sir. And uh I've been coaching in Lakeside community for about 10 years. Nice. So these kids are like the siblings of the older kids I've coached in the past, and it's we're a real tight-knit team, it's all family. My team wouldn't be this far if it wasn't for the support of the parents.

SPEAKER_03 13:34

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Uh we do fundraisers together. We're a real old school, we're not a big entity, you know. We just working right out the backyard and I'm giving them my time. I love basketball. Yeah. The same like hot sauce. Um, I was always a firm believer of taking a little bit of this, a little bit of that, a little bit of this, put it in my game. Um I'm just blessed to be in this position to be with these kids. Yeah. To help guide them, you know, and they all um, you know, they look up to they gotta look up to something, you know. So I've been in contact with Sauce and you know, we're able to make this happen. I knew that getting it out there and the like people had to see him be here in order for it to be. It's kind of unbelievable. Yeah, like we're all on Hawaiian time, you know. To try to to try to promote it and say sauce is coming, I think, you know, and then to see it really not get too much response to now he's everybody's mobbing. And it's like, okay, while he's here, like I just said, that's just how Hawaii works. It really is.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Hey, we got this amount for you to come out and stuff like that. Yeah. And I told him, I said, nah, I come out and you know, whatever you know, how how big you are, I'll I'll come in and and help it grow bigger.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

Wow. Oh I'm here today. Sauce, God bless you.

SPEAKER_02 14:59

Yeah, so I told him I'm come out there and help you.

SPEAKER_03 15:02

Thank you. And I was just on a um camp, or there was a league playing out on the Big Island a couple of weeks ago, and my brother is a coach, a couple of my brothers are, and they said, you know, it's so hard to get games started here or tournament started because we you know we're small islands. There's only six of our islands that have teams that come out. And if we schedule, like let's say Maui and then Big Island has one at the same time, then those teams can't go to both of those, right? So thank you for building it up and thank you for investing in our Hawaii Kiki. Because and I'm sure this can be said anywhere, Atlanta, New York, California. Our our youth really do need an extra injection, especially after COVID. So thank you to both of you gentlemen, investing in our kids because it's getting really kind of lost.

SPEAKER_00 15:46

So I think the biggest thing for me as a coach, too, is it always comes down to costs, right? That's right. So, like you're talking about the Big Island tournament, the Maui tournament. Well, you know, not everybody on my team can afford those things. Yes. So we are we have been blessed to be um partnered up with a nonprofit sponsor who he's watched me coach my team for years. Wow, and as I was just spreading the word about you know, Sauce finally coming down, he was like, Hey, I got this nonprofit, and you know, so we've partnered with him, and I was lucky enough to be at my job I work at for years, um, become a big sponsor. We have not hardly not many sponsors, we're not big, right? But we have the biggest name, you know, that you could imagine. Right. So we're just a small team, and it's just uh I pray about a lot of things and just felt like doing things right, and um everything, it was all one day at a time. You know, I never could look at two weeks from now and say, I'm gonna have this, you know, because it didn't work out like that. It was all one day at a time.

SPEAKER_03 16:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

And the main goal where we bring sauce is like I want to bring the Hawaiian basketball community together.

SPEAKER_03 17:02

Come on now.

SPEAKER_00 17:02

Just in uh, you know, I love entertainment and um sports, and I'm glad I'm grateful that my brother, he's uh um big every time, B E T. Yes, of course. Oh wow, he connected us with we just came from KHON, did 808 Living, you know, just you know, a little segment there. And um, he's helped me out a lot with uh he's gonna do the halftime show at the all-star game that Dylan be playing. Nice, participating in.

SPEAKER_03 17:27

Yeah, and you have an all-star game going, right?

SPEAKER_00 17:29

We're encouraging all social media influencers to be a part of our um week, you know, like especially Saturday. We need everybody to come out.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Yes, everybody to come out and know. Even though he's bringing me out, we're gonna make it about. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

Yes. Wow, and everything goes towards Team Here We Go, you know, as we fundraise. So, like I said, we partner with the nonprofits. So now that that opportunity, yeah, you guys want to go to Big Island?

SPEAKER_03 17:52

Right?

SPEAKER_00 17:53

We're gonna go. You know, we could nobody gotta worry about um, you know, the funds because I got I got kids from that have it and don't have it, you know what I mean? I hear you.

SPEAKER_03 18:02

So and these are some of the things.

SPEAKER_00 18:04

I wish I could do, yeah, and I wish I could do like all the age groups, but because I'm just focused on this one group, you know, like that's that's the best I can, you know, do and just but to bring hot sauce here. Now we can bring everybody, and I hope that

Sponsors Marriage And Community Support

SPEAKER_00 18:20

in the future, you know, right we can do more for the kids.

SPEAKER_03 18:23

I think this is a great launch, and thank you again for investing in the kids. Uh, did you want to give a shout out to your sponsors? You're more than welcome to do that.

SPEAKER_00 18:30

I sure do, because I didn't get a chance to on the TV.

SPEAKER_03 18:33

No, do it, do it.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

Yeah, definitely 100% Hawaiian Pacific Freight. Yes, you. I work there, they they're a big time um helper to get me to where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_03 18:45

Thank you, Hawaiian Pacific Freight. And how long you've been working there, Coach Mo?

SPEAKER_00 18:49

Uh, seven years. Went on seven years.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

We gotta support locals, or we're not gonna have locals. I've been saying that for years, especially in the state of Hawaii. If we don't support the locals, it's gonna start looking like Miami Strip. It's gonna look like any strip you can get in any beach around the world. But here in the state of Hawaii, we have got to. So, Hawaiian Pacific Freight, thank you for supporting Ohana, and it's the Ohana factor.

SPEAKER_00 19:11

Yes, and also uh Dana Fong Reyes. Uh, we met her through Planet Hoops, she was the first person that uh donated towards our fundraiser. A big um help.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

Dana!

SPEAKER_00 19:23

I want to thank her. Yes, you Sean Ui Hara. Um, he's a friend of one of the parents on our team. Wow. Um, he helped out in a major way.

SPEAKER_03 19:31

Sean, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

Um, good fellow bros. They're also uh one of the parents on our team. Those are the shipping guys. Yes, uh they they they have a parent on our team that was able to help us sponsor a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 19:43

They're super important, Sauce, because if we don't have that shipping, that's our umbilical cord to the whole wide world. Imagine Hawaii is the most remote island mass, right? Land mass in the whole wide world. The Pacific Ocean, the biggest ocean, covers one-third of the whole earth. And so anybody in that shipping, that we need to give much credit. Thank you, good fellows.

SPEAKER_00 20:02

And then just our influencers that are participating in the game, um, they're also doing their due diligence on their side to um, you know, raise on their end.

SPEAKER_03 20:12

Whose brain child is that all your sponsors? I want to make sure they're all in that's it. Your wife gave five bucks. Let's put that in there. Sauce just talked about three dollars and quarters. Let's go. Let's go. Give a shout out to Mrs. Mo right now. We know it's about the wife, too.

SPEAKER_00 20:29

She knows that, yes.

SPEAKER_03 20:30

I just seen an MMA fighter he won and he made a viral video because when he got that big belt that they win, his wife came up to thank him or bless him on stage and congratulate him. And instead, he actually made her put her arms up and put that belt around his wife because all credit goes to her cheering him on and being there for him on all the things that the invisible Sheiros do behind the heroes on the front lines. So thank you for saying that.

SPEAKER_00 20:54

She put up with me for a long time. We make 20 years married this year.

SPEAKER_03 20:58

Yes, yo, yes uh, bless her.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

And she's been along with all my shenanigans, up and downs.

SPEAKER_03 21:06

I'm glad he said shenanigans. I thought it was gonna be a different SH bomb coming out of his mouth on this show. No, sir. Good for you. What's your wife's name? 20 years. Tatiana. Thank you, Tatiana and Maurice Daniels, 20 years married.

Hood To Hoops And Choices

SPEAKER_03 21:20

Okay, now let's switch back. We're investing in the community. Thank you. I want to hear a little bit more about you, Sauce. Your story, as you were sharing just briefly, and I saw one of the main things that it says a title is Hood to Hoops. How do you where did you come from? Is it from Atlanta? Tell us about your beginnings, sir.

SPEAKER_02 21:37

Well, I came from uh Jacksonville, Florida. You know, uh was uh raised in Jacksonville, and then I came to um I actually went to uh job core and around like nineteen ninety three, something like that, and then I came to Atlanta like ninety five and then that's when I was on my own. You know, it was either go with my mom or go. Go to Java Court and be on my own. Wow. So I chose Java Court to be on my own. And but that kinda like that kind of raised me. How old were you?

SPEAKER_03 22:08

Man.

SPEAKER_02 22:08

At the time I was like eighteen.

SPEAKER_03 22:11

So it was young.

SPEAKER_02 22:12

Yeah, yeah. It was 18.

SPEAKER_03 22:13

You got independent real fast. Yeah. Was it a single mom? Is she a single mom or were you raised by both parents?

SPEAKER_02 22:19

I was raised by both parents, but you know, my dad raised me in the summertime. My mom had me during school, stuff like that. Yeah. Wow. But I'm glad I did it that route, because you know, who knows where I'd be at if I stayed or whatever. Right? You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 22:33

And you never went back to jail or going back to that lifestyle of shenanigans?

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Last time I went.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

Wow. So the game really made a difference for you and being with the job core.

SPEAKER_02 22:44

Yep, made a difference.

SPEAKER_03 22:45

Sir, you made the right choices. Yeah. Do you share that when you're talking to the youth about making those good choices, good future, good good friends, good futures?

SPEAKER_02 22:53

You gotta you gotta make good choices, you know what I mean? Because you got a lot of, you know, knuckleheads out there that there's bad influences, you know. Hey man, come on, let's go over here and do this, you know, let's go over here and do that, and and the kids will follow.

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 23:05

So, you know.

SPEAKER_03 23:06

And you can get hooked real fast on some of these substances that are being offered, and you don't even know it's in there, whether it's dabs in the in the vape or you know, doing other types of drugs. And just to be real, thank you for saying that. Because a lot of kids do look up to you and are listening right now. You gotta watch what you're doing and who you're hanging out with.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

And and you know, a lot of people out here watching you too. Yeah. You gotta be careful.

SPEAKER_03 23:28

I I also appreciate Sauce that you talk about never forget where you came from. Like you've said that at least a few times. When you say that, what do you mean by it?

SPEAKER_02 23:38

Uh never forget where you come from. Like you it's it's okay to be yourself, you know what I mean? If if you want to add a little swag to your situation, you know, you done, you know, leveled up on your friends and stuff like that. You don't have to throw it on them and you know, just be humble when you when you're around everybody, you know. Yes. You don't have to be arrogant all the time. Be arrogant on the flo on the floor on the court in your game. In your game.

SPEAKER_03 24:02

And what I like, I'm not gonna be like, no, you're so humble, you kept your head down coming out the car, you're walking on over, you know, you got that humility about you. But what I also like when you say, just be yourself, right? Keep yourself humble, be yourself. You're not trying to be Michael Jordan, you're not trying to be Iverson Curry, you're not trying to be nobody except Sauce. I'm trying to be myself. Wow, and you nailed it, brother. I nailed it. There's nobody like you, and we need you to be you. Thank you so much. Is there a quote that you live by Sauce that you got?

SPEAKER_02 24:34

Uh don't be the next thing to the best thing, be the best thing into the next.

SPEAKER_03 24:38

Why say it again? It was so nice, you got to say it twice. Say it again.

SPEAKER_02 24:41

Don't be the best thing into the next thing, be the best thing into the next.

SPEAKER_03 24:46

Wow, I like it. I went on your IG, uh, coach, and I saw that you had one, and it says, Repetition is the father of learning. And that's a really good one because especially when you're playing sports or if you're in music or anything else, when we're trying to become the master or the greatest of all time, we have got to repeat certain drills and do certain things. I once sat in an interview with the top educator in the state of Hawaii. She was the superintendent, and I said, What's the key to making sure our kids learn well? How do we make sure at the end of the day, school day, that they're learning? She goes, repeat, repeat, repeat. And again, I say, repeat. May I repeat that? And I love it because I say repeatables are eatables. I'm not talking about edibles. This is Auntie Dawn's show. We don't do that stuff. But repeatable is eatable. And the thing is, you just repeated that in your head. But when we repeat things, what we repeat grows strong in our brain muscles. I saw that on yours. Repetition is the father of learning. Do you have a favorite quote or scripture verse that you got Coach Mo to share with our Ohana watching right now?

SPEAKER_00 25:49

Oh, that would be my favorite quote. Yeah. I love it. And you put it right there on the IG.

SPEAKER_03 25:56

That works, brother. That works. Now we're gonna come in for a bit of a landing unless you guys have other things that you would like to discuss. Again, thank you for investing in our kids.

Portia Champions Podiatry And Love

SPEAKER_03 26:05

You got something there, Sauce, that you wanted to say?

SPEAKER_02 26:09

Uh talk about my wife, you know.

SPEAKER_03 26:12

I would love to talk about your wife, but I didn't want to do like the view or kicking it with the Kardashians.

SPEAKER_02 26:18

I've I've basically done landed everything that I need to say, you know, to help, you know, my man Mo out. Yes, you have. She's uh a big podiatrist in in Georgia, so I won't I would like for her to come, you know, have the floor and and promote what she does, and maybe someday somebody could bring her out here to do uh some footwork out here.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

I love it. And do you know, um, Sauce, you are a young man, but I'm 55 years young, and I'm getting to that age where podiatry is very important. I'm wearing high heels right now, but normally I have my ortho heels, my bowling shoes, my nurse shoes, all that. I am a big respecter of podiatrists. I was just bragging on my doctor. We're gonna have you come on and say hi, Portia, if you would. Aloha and welcome to beautiful Portia. And is your folks' last name, is your real um name Philip Champ? Champion. Champion. Thank you, sir. And I like to say everybody knows Auntie Dawn in the state of Hawaii is Chi Who Champions. This is how we cheer for the kids. Chi Who. So you're Mrs. Champion, Portia. Come on now and you do podiatry.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 27:21

I love it. Um, what did what drew you to podiatry or working with people's feet?

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Funny story, believe it or not, my grandmother told me when I was about six, five or six years old that I was going to be a podiatrist. Stop yourself.

SPEAKER_03 27:37

She knew that from all the way back then.

SPEAKER_01 27:39

She knew it. I had no idea what a podiatrist was. Okay. I found out it was a foot doctor. Yes, ma'am. I said, absolutely not. I did not like feet. Absolutely not. And um, I kid you not. Um, podiatry chose me.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

Wow. Explain that if you will, because I'm not even joking. I have my podiatrist. Um, I'm always calling, checking in, different things going on. What what drew you in? How did it choose you?

SPEAKER_01 28:09

Everywhere I turned, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. Yeah. Um, I wasn't quite sure what specialty I wanted to practice. Okay. But everywhere I turned, there was a podiatrist there for mentorship, something like that. Um, funny story. I got a job in the middle of a mall, a teeth whitening kiosk. Why was the owner of the kiosk a podiatrist?

SPEAKER_03 28:33

What? Wow.

SPEAKER_01 28:35

So I was like, okay, God, I get it.

SPEAKER_03 28:37

Come on now. This is what you want me see. Signs and wonders, girl. You had them all over you. Yes. And you have a gift, just like I was saying to your wonderful husband, and you were sitting right there watching us, that God really selects you, and that gift becomes very apparent. Like you don't have to work, you do work and drill and you know, game, but it picks you, and then you master that thing. Absolutely. So you operate as a podiatrist. Are you willing to come back to the state of Hawaii and start changing all our feet, all our hammer toes, and our Achilles and our nerves? We want to get you over here because we actually have a shortage of doctors.

SPEAKER_01 29:14

Really?

SPEAKER_03 29:14

And a lot of our coupon or elderly, we really do need foot help. And so I would love to. I love that your husband is promoting you. He's hyping you, he's your biggest cheerleader over here saying, get this woman on the set. I'm gonna ask a personal question if I might. And you can pass. I always tell my students in high school, and I teach at some of the worst high schools in the state of Hawaii. You always get to pass in Auntie Don's class, as in pass the question, but I will come back to you. So here's the personal question. How did y'all meet? I'll let him answer that. Ooh. Oh, oh, oh. She wants this is like the newlywed game. We want to hear what version you got, sauce.

SPEAKER_02 29:52

Well, you know how you just be looking, see who looking at your stories and stuff like that. You know, you just be looking, looking, oh big haired guy. Another big haired guy. Oh, I see a girl looking at my stories. Let me let me check her out real quick. Boom. I'm checking her out and stuff like that. You know.

SPEAKER_01 30:10

So, in other words, he slid in my DMs. I love it. How long have you been married? Not together.

SPEAKER_03 30:16

Really? Yeah. Oh, come on now. Okay, because we had Coach Mo, and he's 20 years married, and that's a huge feat and accomplishment. But I also like to talk to the newlyweds. And how did that work out? How did you know that Sauce was the guy for you? And what exactly was he DMing? No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. That's personal.

SPEAKER_01 30:37

It was it was very innocent, but um we connected immediately. Um, as you mentioned earlier, his humility. That's what I admired. I also was a fan of his growing up. Stumbled across his Instagram page. We connected from there, and he's he was way more humble than I could ever expect. Sometimes I say he's too humble. Yes. Um, like, yes, you're a big deal, babe. Yes. And but that is what attracted me to him. And I mean, even what he did right now, I'm here to support him, and he drags me in. And you have to love him, honestly. And I always jokingly say that the ankle breaker marries someone who can fix ankle, the ankle fixer. So I think we're matchmade in heaven. We gotta give him on the humor.

SPEAKER_03 31:30

I love it. We got hoops, we got humor, we got these beautiful personalities. You know what, Portia? I love that about you, and I'm in full agreement. Do you know I was just talking to my best friend who's about to show up, and we're gonna film Leolani and Capena di Lima, the top band in the state of Hawaii. And I said, I'm about to ask Kelly Boy a question. They were talking about their testimony a little bit, but I'm gonna then ask his wife for the answer. Because a lot of times when you see a couple, that's nice that the guy can talk a whole lot of game or do a whole lot. But when you really want to know the real story, you ask the wife. Oh, yeah. And you just said exactly what I said. This humility, you can't fake this Jesus funk right here. No, you cannot, it's the real deal. It's almost too humble, and I almost never say that. In Polynesian culture, humility is the H in the A-L-O-H-A aloha culture. It is ha ha. And we have a high level of respect. We might be big people, the Tongans, the Samoans, the Hawaiins. We're like the Mac trucks of the NFL D line, the O line. But when we somebody see somebody who has a humble spirit and you could be the greatest of all time, the GOAT, man, that just boosts you into the stratosphere, right? I love that you said that, Portia. What else is last personal question? Because I know I'm putting him on the hot seat a little bit. What else do you love? What is your most favorite thing about every day with sauce?

SPEAKER_01 32:52

You never know what you're gonna get every day with him. Um I I love that um I am a very structured person, and he is not. So he teaches me to have a little fun, not take things so serious, and I offer him structure so we match each other perfectly, I think.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

I love it. Well, if I may, on behalf of um many of our Ohana watching, and we're a faith-filled family here on Aloha Alive. God bless the both of you. Thank you for just watching the way that you literally dragged her off the bench to get onto this court and get in front of these cameras and say, you know what, state of Hawaii, we got one of the best podiatrists coming with the best ankle breaker. We got the ankle fixer right here, Porsche, with him. So that kind of love and that humility in the both of you, God bless you and

Aloha Heroes And Closing Blessing

SPEAKER_03 33:40

your eternal love. Thank you for sharing that. All right. Well, I'm gonna ask one last question. We're gonna switch you out, Mrs. Porsche. We ask every guest here on Aloha Alive, because it's all about aloha and ohana. Is who is an Aloha hero? A person who lives pure aloha, either past or present, in your life or today. So for me, I often think about my grandma Ketty. I come from a third world country, I come from Tonga, and she was she's my grandma. My parents got a divorce and left me, the oldest of four girls, with her. She already had a ton of kids, and she took in a bunch of grandkids, including us, and she would drag us to church every single Sunday. We would have to starch our clothes. That those clothes could walk to church on their own, they were so stiff. But my aloha hero who made it happen with zero money was my grandma Ketty. Who's your aloha hero?

SPEAKER_00 34:36

I gotta say, my aloha hero is my brother. Come on, J D. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_03 34:41

Who's part of B-E-T, big everytime?

SPEAKER_00 34:44

I just I live with him. I live with him for like all my life, you know. So I've seen how he uh worked hard, you know, especially in the early 2000s. Yeah. Their music would just, we'd be playing dominoes outside, and his song would come on the radio, and we it was just so normal for us. Wow. But like to my friends, we'd be like, hey, your brother's song, you know. But yeah, he's humble, you know, really good guy. And then he, you know, he had that, he went away for a while. And um, you know, now he's back out here, you know, and he's getting back. He went right back to his music, right? Right back to where he started, which you know, that's that's that's who he is, you know. So he's so strong, that guy. Yes. I seen him go through a lot, and I live with him all my life, and I just that's my hero.

SPEAKER_03 35:33

And I love the huge humility as we've been referencing with this goat, but that he remembered where he came from, just as you were saying, sauce. Never forget where you came from. And as big as you might be, and you might be on the radio, but Hawaii style, we all know, brah, those are real local people paying bills, living month to month, right, hand to mouth, trying to make it happen and hook it up. And yet he's also supporting you as you go through building up this camp for the kids and bringing in sauce, right? Investing and playing at the halftime. So God bless your aloha hero being your brother. Thank you for that, Coach Mo. And we'll end with who do you think of somebody, Sauce, who might be your aloha hero, somebody who lives real unconditional love in your life? Uh either past or present.

SPEAKER_02 36:17

I'll say my mom.

SPEAKER_03 36:18

Come on now.

SPEAKER_02 36:19

Yeah, you know, the one that that told me to make a choice. You gonna stay with me or you go to job core? So I left a child and then came back and made her proud.

SPEAKER_03 36:32

Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yeah, and that was a crossroads moment, and she saw that man, she was able to call that out in you.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

Yeah, so because she she she she she didn't know that I was talented like that, but she sent me on my way, even though I made a decision, and she let me go too. So and then let's say about eight years later, ten, nine years later, I came back, number one street ball player in the world.

SPEAKER_03 36:59

Wow, was she able to see that sauce?

SPEAKER_02 37:01

Oh, yeah, she came to all the games.

SPEAKER_03 37:03

Wow, hallelujah. Come on now.

SPEAKER_02 37:05

I actually requested a game in Jacksonville, you know, my hometown, and sold out, and and I put on a show.

SPEAKER_03 37:12

Wow, and she was there front and center. I got thigh bumps, I got chills all over, man. That's huge. What's your mama's name, Sauce?

SPEAKER_02 37:21

Uh Belda.

SPEAKER_03 37:23

Is she still with us? Yeah, yeah. You want to give her a shout out right now? You look right into that camera.

SPEAKER_02 37:28

Hey Ma, I love you. You know, uh appreciate you sending me out on my own and me coming back a man and you know, being the uh man I am today. I love you.

SPEAKER_03 37:39

Wow. You know, it's moments like that. That's the real. There's not a lot of things that stunned me. I tend to be a real uh cynical Christian. I've seen a lot of dumb things in this life, even behind the pulpit, even in church. But with somebody as humble as yourself, your mama raised a good man, and your dad was there too. But much credit to both of them. But thank you for looking her straight in that eye and for honoring your mom. I can see how you are a good man to your Portia, to your wife, because you knew how to love your mom, and you're gonna share that with your woman as well. I bless your house, I bless your mama, and I thank you for doing that right there.

SPEAKER_02 38:23

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 38:23

Yeah, well, family, that was uh just a miracle moment here on Aloha Alive. I'm Auntie Don O'Brien, the hostess for his highest, giving God glory, and we got one of the greatest goats I've ever met. And I'm not just talking about what you see on Instagram or TikTok or the reels or TV. This man is the real deal. His name is Hot Sauce, and it's Philip Champion. God made him a champion. That's who he is, and he's God anointed and appointed. He's got the game to prove it, but he's got the heart and the character to take it even further. I want you to check that out and make sure you support. Also, Team Here we go. Let's go with Coach Mo Daniels and his beautiful bride at his side, celebrating 20 years. And as I like to teach kids, help me, guys, you guys gotta make a little heart and say aloha. And then you make a bigger heart say always, and then when say it with me. Aloha. Aloha. Always.