At 7ft 1in and 325 pounds, Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most recognised figures in world sport, a 13-time choice for basketball’s All-Star game. For the past six months, the American athlete has also been promoting Li-Ning, the Chinese footwear retailer.

Li Ning is locked in a battle with Nike and Adidas for the fast-growing Chinese footwear market and the Chinese group is determined to keep up with the heavy-spending multinationals.