I have to disagree with most of this list.
First, Jackie Young is not known to be an elite defender (she's good, but she gets lit up too often for my tastes). She's cited as being a great two-way player (which she is), but her defense is not winning her any awards. She's never made an All-Defense team--ever. I don't see that changing anytime soon.
Jewell has never been considered a strong defender. She's been, at best, seen as being above average due to her length and athletic ability (so she's capable physically of doing things defensively that Plum couldn't do). However, she is prone to embarrassing defensive lapses.
Chelsea is actually a better defender than she's given credit for. Her hands are quick and she can cover multiple positions. She's solid.
Kiah is not an elite post defender and hasn't been a good one since 2023. The last time we had an elite one not named A'ja was Candace Parker in 2023 (who was on her way to winning her second DPOY before getting injured). These days, Kiah is closer to average than good.
That said, the defense still should be much better than it is. As A'ja pointed out recently, the defense isn't good because people aren't actually playing defense. It's not an ability issue. It's not a "scheme" issue. It's a willingness issue. If the Lynx players not named Phee or Alanna Smith are physically able to defend the toughest players in the league, so are Vegas' non-A'ja players.
